My Father's Wine

In a dark basement in old Monterey, three men bustle about, rattling bottles and soaking corks. The room is darkly lit, below ground, and you can hear the sounds of ocean waves and seagulls in the distance. 

Steinbeck novel? Nope... my dad. He and his friends are wine makers. They grow and make wine for personal consumption just as many families used to do. They have a small winemaking license and are able to make wine for familial consumption. (I fit nicely under that umbrella.) I get the benefit of coming down for an afternoon to bottle with his crew and walking away with a case of fresh wine. There is something so satisfying about spending time with my family creating sustenance together. It's a phenomenon that most people of my generation have never experienced. Inspiring to share time, skills, and culture with my dad.