Memories of two remarkable tastings in Jerez help shape an answer to the age-old question: Is wine art?
Tim James reflects on his experiences while reading May-Eliane de Lencquesaing’s book My Journey with Wine: From Bordeaux to South Africa. While the book dives into her journey and insights into the wine industry, James finds the discussion about wine as an art form particularly thought-provoking yet somewhat unsatisfactory. De Lencquesaing mentions vertical and horizontal tastings that reveal that “wine is no mere commodity but an art form.” However, James struggles with the idea of wine being considered art, suggesting that the connection may reside more in human longing than in the wines themselves.
He recalls two tastings during the 2014 Vinoble festival in Jerez de la Frontera, where he experienced a profound sense of aesthetics in wine. The first was a tasting of esteemed old Amontillados that deeply moved him, leading him to believe that wine could indeed be art in that moment. The second, held in an octagonal mosque at the Alcázar de Jerez, featured master blender Antonio Flores presenting carefully selected rare Palo Cortados. The ambiance, combined with the selections, created an experience that transcended mere tasting, representing an artistic synergy of place, wine, and presentation.
Despite the powerful experiences, James ultimately hesitates to label the wines themselves as art. He argues that while human interactions in wine-making are complex and significant, they differ from the processes of creating art. He contrasts the human element of wine—rooted in nature’s whims and secrets—with art’s unique human creativity. The great Hungarian Marxist thinker György Lukács once considered art to be humanity’s self-consciousness, and in a similar vein, James posits that wine reflects our humane interactions and expressions that deserve appreciation and respect, without necessarily being classified as art.
For further insights, refer to topics such as Sherry and wine and art.