Every now and then, a certain wine comes along that is transformative; a bottle that connects me to something deeper, helping to fill a void or bridge a gap in my thinking. Reading about wine can have a similar affect. There is an occasional book that guides me down new paths of discovery, trails that not only challenge my perspective of wine, but transform how I think about wine going forward.

With Been Doon So Long, Randall Grahm has created such a book, one full of transformative facts, thoughts, and ideas that have enlightened my understanding of what it means to craft and experience truly great, soulful wines. This wonderful book has helped me appreciate vins de terroir versus the commonly produced and consumed vins d'effort. At the same time, Grahm's vinthology has changed my impression of him as a winemaker, from someone who I merely viewed as a smart and witty marketer to the full realization that he is a smart and wise craftsman.

Like a captivating wine, Been Doon So Long is a book that encourages one to read, reflect, and then read again. And like any great cellar, this is a book that offers a variety of writings from various periods of Grahm's life as a winemaker, enabling the reader to be selective as to what is ultimately consumed. After receiving a complimentary copy from the author a couple of months ago, I approached Grahm's gift with the initial impulse to consume it cover-to-cover, only to find myself reading and returning to various sections of the book that resonated most with me.

Of particular interest were the pieces organized under the section, "Earnest Speeches and Sober Essays". Here, I discovered insights into the true meaning of terroir; how we Americans suffer from an immature wine culture; the merits of originality and minerality; and most importantly, how wine reaches deep into our states of mind, body, and soul. Grahm's writings, especially the essay, "A Meditation on Terroir: The Return", helped connect the dots for me, providing the context my consciousness needed to better understand and appreciate wine in a more profound and meaningful way.

Besides connecting dots, Grahm's candid reflections on his multi-decade journey crafting and marketing wine helped me better understand the person behind the Bonny Doon labels. Until reading Been Doon So Long, my impression of Grahm was primarily that an innovative (lest we forget witty) marketer as well as an astute businessman, with the additional thought that he had the wherewithal of making decent wine at scale.

I had no frame of reference on his soul, nor did I understand the transformation that was occurring in Grahm as a winemaker thru the 90's and into the next decade, when he decided to part ways with the larger parts of his business and focus solely on a few select vins de terroir.

Like Grahm, I too evolved during this period, albeit as a wine consumer. During the 90's, I enjoyed many of Grahm's wines, especially the Cardinal Zin, which appealed to my "the bigger, the better" palate. However, with the decade that followed, my tastes evolved to prefer wines that were more nuanced, elegant, and understated, yet provided a strong sense of place. I found it interesting to read Grahm's narrative about his journey while reflecting on my own experience with wine. In a very compelling way, Been Doon So Long helped me understand what was driving my palate's thirst for vins de terroir.

As a result of reading Been Doon So Long, a door has been opened and a new path discovered that will alter the wines I seek, collect, and open at my table in the months ahead. While traveling this new road, I will be eager to experience the fruits of Randall Grahm's labor as he continues on his journey toward crafting the ultimate expression of wine, his own vins de terroir.

Related Links
Katherine Cole's Review in The Oregonian
Various Reviews Highlighted by the Publisher
Randall Grahm's Perspective on an Unfavorable Review
Pacific Rim Washington Riesling