Kakao Brunchbook 6th Publishing Project Special Award Winner
Wine flows into the Glencairn glass -- deep ruby radiance, bewitching color. Swirling the glass gently. A vibrant aroma flies into the nostrils. Thirst rushes in. Lifting the glass to the lips. Slowly tilting. Wine flows over the tongue. Sweetness and smoothness. Closing eyes, sketching an image. "Director, do not your joints hurt doing that?" Every morning I walk. Breathing the dawn air, walking from Gwanghwamun to Seodaemun and around Seochon -- about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Walking is undervalued exercise: it requires no equipment, no skill, can be done anywhere, and consistently delivers health benefits; the most important exercise is the one you will actually do consistently. The inexpensive wine thesis: a cheap glass of wine drunk with full attention and appreciation delivers more pleasure than an expensive wine consumed without care; the story of the author discovering that accessible, value wines can provide genuine pleasure parallels the discovery that simple daily habits (walking) provide consistent benefits that are undervalued relative to expensive interventions. The price-quality relationship in wine: there is genuine correlation between price and quality at the lowest price points; however, this correlation weakens significantly above 20-30 USD; a 15 USD wine from a good producer often provides 80% of the pleasure of a 150 USD wine from a famous producer; the extra 135 USD buys rarity, prestige, and a smaller increment of additional pleasure that may or may not be perceptible; understanding this relationship allows wine enjoyment without financial anxiety.
