Top left to right; Wine Tasting flight; Emeritus Vineyards founders and Assistant editor Jacy Topps and her partner / Photo Courtesy of Jacy Topps
It’s common in relationships to not fully understand what your partner’s job entails. We’re all busy trying to perfect our own job skills. There isn’t much time left in the day to decipher your SO’s day-to-day job description—or even their formal title. My partner understands I write about wine, but they assumed my job was all about glamorous parties and lavish wine-related travel. It wasn’t until a vacation to Sonoma and Napa to celebrate our wedding anniversary that my partner was able to get a glimpse into my work and why I love what I do.
A personal invitation from Mari Jones, the president of Emeritus Vineyards, led to our first stop in Sonoma. We walked through the vineyards while Jones and I chatted about dry farming, pruning and climate change. Later, the head winemaker joined us for a tasting of their portfolio and conversation about the many expressions of Pinot Noir—the sole focus of Emeritus.
My partner had no previous interest in wine outside of drinking it. They weren’t interested in learning about growing wine grapes, harvesting or the aging process. They didn’t understand why some people like to swirl wine in the glass or why they smell it first, nor did they care. But as we tasted wine and listened to the stories behind the glass, they became more fascinated by it all.
