It is cliché to say a book or written word can change a person’s life. Yet, as an aspiring freelance writer, I hope that one day someone will feel that way about something I have written. I want my words to move or inspire them, even if only for a little while.
The book that has had such an impact on me is “The Lost Vintage,” written by Ann Mah.
This book carefully crafts a story of two women from the same family, albeit decades apart. Both is struggling to overcome personal challenges as they establish themselves in the wine industry in their own way, for their own reasons.
Present day is Kate, struggling to pass the Masters of Wine examination. Her studies take her from her home in California to her family’s vineyard in Burgundy, France. There, she delves further into wine and the family’s history. Through Kate’s journey we go back in time, meeting her relative Helen whose story takes us from the German occupation of French until the end of World War II. And with Helen, we learn of her own complex relationship with wine and family.
While this novel shows some of the uglier sides of humanity, Ann Mah write this story in such a way that a reader might be able to feel empathy, if not forgiveness, towards certain characters and their decisions. This is not an easy balance to achieve when crafting a story. Somehow, this book does just that. This is the gift of Mah’s writing.
Another of the gifts Mah’s storytelling provides, is its ability to inspire. “The Lost Vintage” inspired my interest, if not passion, about wine. This is its gift to me.
This book made me want to learn more about the history of French wine, its production and the concept of “terroir” to name a few things. As well, this book is one of the reasons I completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) level 1 course a few years ago and now have a stack of Wine Spectator Magazines on my coffee table.
“The Lost Vintage” stirred something in me. It unlocked an entirely new world I previously knew little about. Each time I re-read this novel (which is about 3–4 times a year since purchasing the book six years ago) I feel the same passion to learn more about wine.
One day I want to write a story or an article that inspires my readers to expand their knowledge, challenge themselves in some way or simply touches their spirit, if only for a moment. I want my writing to move some just like Ann Mah’s “The Lost Vintage” has moved me.
Photo Credit: SJ Gabriel