Where has our kindness and joy of life toward wine gone?
I am sitting at a round wooden table in the empty, unfinished tasting room of a biodynamic winery in the Rheinhessen wine region where I am currently doing my internship.
When last Summer I decided to spend some time abroad, hoping it would help me gather my thoughts and decide where to go next, I didn't know how lonely I would feel during my time away.
It wasn't easy to find a place for my internship. At first, I wanted to go to South Africa, and even though I wrote 100 emails and contacted all of my friends, it didn't work out.
"Then I thought of a former classmate of mine, whom I went to school with at Soós: Bianka Schmitt, née Szeghalmi Bianka. She lives in Germany with her husband, and they run a biodynamic winery, producing natural wines. I wanted to get to a place like this because I’m interested in this approach, and I was curious about what led them on this path, where they are heading, and how they manage to sell their wines in such a challenging economic situation.
I was happy to be welcomed with open arms. Now I have the opportunity to figure out what I want to do with Dévabor (my own brand). In the meantime, I work, gather experiences, get ideas, and build relationships. I feel that these relationships are the engine of winemaking and I have seen this at every event I have attended so far.
What I miss from home?
Honesty and kindness are, for me, the most important and relatable things in the world. Back home, where I come from in Tokaj, something feels missing. I miss this openness and kindness. I am tired of always hearing only the negative things and how horrible everything is. I started thinking about how I could create a new society where we can all share our thoughts, ideas, and everything openly.
Where it doesn’t matter what kind of family someone comes from or what financial background they started with, but rather that we can openly share and discuss our own experiences and knowledge together. Disagreements are completely normal, but if we can handle them in a respectful and cultured way, they only move us forward.
As I sit here between the grey walls, I watch the wind turbines surrounding the entire landscape. Everything here is about sustainable energy: wind turbines, solar panels, and no electric poles. This was the first thing I noticed when I arrived. I thought that here they are ahead in many ways, and although they speak a different language, their mindset is different too.
Is life much better overseas?
I don’t think so. There are people here too who talk behind your back, who wish you ill, who watch and wait for the moment you fail. This face of human nature exists everywhere, no matter where you run. What is different is the mindset. The couple I work with are young and fearless. They dare to speak their truth, and they are not afraid to share their knowledge and experience. They are brave, warm, and honest. And they are not alone. When I was in Rome and Angers, surrounded by other biodynamic winemakers, I saw the same thing: sparkling eyes, genuine excitement for each other’s wines, and openness in sharing both challenges and solutions. The essence is this: they have courage. They have purpose. And they dare to dream big.
I wonder when I will feel this. Will I ever feel it? Will I find balance at home? I love being out in the vineyard. I am becoming more conscious, more aware, and I am happy to see how much I am learning and how much braver I am becoming.
But I don’t know if I will be able to find my way and build something alone. Without any support. The question is whether a person accepts this uncertainty and commits fully with all their strength, money, and energy knowing it might work, or it might not. Or whether they choose another place, where they can thrive more easily, where the outlook is better, and where financial stability is more attainable.
So I'm facing with a lot of challenges and fear, but there is always an answer.
#dilemma #devabor #blog #boraszelet #dontes #celok
