Letter from the President November 2021
“Fine Wine and The Art of Gathering”
Dear Reader,
Friends came to our home for dinner earlier this month, Mary Alice and Michael Parmet. Another
friend, Cynthia Craft, brought a bottle of what she said was “fine wine.” I did not know anything
about fine wines. My daily glass of J. Lohr cabernet sauvignon would break no one’s budget.
This bottle was different, and Michael Parmet knew the difference. He is a connoisseur of fine wine.
So, he took a long look at the 1983 Chateau-Figeac Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe bottle,
and his eyes danced for joy.
Michael said, “I had a bottle of Chateau-Figeac not long ago that was twenty years younger. But this
bottle, oh my.” He studied the label with the care a mother takes looking into the face of her
newborn baby child.
The inspection continued. The label was slightly discolored from humidity, expected for aged wine.
The fill level of the wine was at the base neck, which was good. The cork is almost 40 years old and
could crumble easily. However, Michael gently caressed the bottle, and ever so slowly, as a person
of experience and determination retrieved the cork intact. The bottle was well-maintained by its
owner. Cynthia beamed.
Next, the wine was decanted, strained, and set aside to allow the wine to breathe. Twenty minutes
later, at the dinner table, Michel swirled his glass of wine and commented on its color. Then he
inhaled the gracious aroma and bouquet. Michael described its complexity of flavors and that the
wine was full-bodied and balanced. I had no idea what that meant when I took my first taste of fine
wine and smiled. It was smooth and delicious.
During dinner, Michael began telling stories of vineyards and of meetings where wine connoisseurs
gather, prompting me to ask the attraction to spend so much time learning all about fine wines. He
said it was not the wine. “It is the people you drink a glass of wine with, like tonight.” He continued,
“I never drink a glass of fine wine alone. It is always a shared experience with others. I have gotten
to know many fine people while sharing fine wines from vineyards around the world.”
A collective experience. I am reading a book entitled, The Art of Gathering: How we meet and Why
it Matters, by Priya Parker. She says we spend much of our lives gathering, and the way we gather
matters. It shapes the way we think, feel, and make sense of the world. Parker sets forth a “human-
centered” approach to gathering that can create meaningful, memorable experiences.
I believe this is what Michael meant when he said he never drinks a glass of rare wine alone. It is in
the gathering of friends that our lives become meaningful.
As we approach the holiday season with Thanksgiving Day and religious celebrations, it is an
opportunity to gather with family and friends, share experiences, make memories, laugh, and hug.
Yes, including a warm embrace—something we have not done in a long time because of the
pandemic.
A passage in the Bible says, “Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a
merry heart, for God has blessed you.” I pray that is your experience during the upcoming holiday
season.
John K. Graham
President and CEO – Institute for Spirituality and Health