FRESH VOICES: Mindfulness and Wine: A Perfect Pairing by Chiara Shannon
Featured in The Tasting Panel | Sept 2022
“AND THE WINNER IS . . .” Those words were the spark that ignited my lifelong inquiry into the connection between mindfulness and wine. I was working in fine wine sales at K&L Wine Merchants in Northern California. Occasionally, a mystery decanter would appear, initiating a friendly blind-tasting competition among staff. By then, I had learned enough about wine to know how much I didn’t know, but there was one thing I knew for sure: Blind tasting is a not a skill learned in books. Experience—lived and practiced—is what separates the pros from the rest. And compared to my veteran colleagues, I was short on experience.
I took a breath and gave it a try. What happened next changed everything. You see, I won that blind tasting. Then I won the next one. It turns out I had a secret weapon: a well-trained mind. Thanks to many years studying yoga, which includes ancient techniques for calming the nervous system, activating the senses, and cultivating present-moment awareness—practices that fall under the collective umbrella of modern mindfulness—I had inadvertently acquired a competitive advantage in blind tasting.
That said, there is so much more to wine than its taste. As I advance in my career, I continue to explore deeper connections between mindfulness and wine and look for ways to bring the tools I use and teach to the tasting table. If mindfulness can make us better wine tasters, can it make us better wine professionals? More importantly, can it help us navigate the darker side of the business—the hedonism, illness, frustration, and sorrow (which almost nobody talks about but is very much a reality)—by supporting our mental, physical, and emotional well-being?
The answer is yes. There is abundant research around the benefits of mindfulness for healthy living, from stress reduction to increased health and happiness. Mindfulness has also been shown to boost emotional intelligence and give purpose, stability, and meaning to our lives and careers. As I approach two decades in the industry, mindfulness—which I continue to cultivate through practice and teaching—has been essential in avoiding burnout, creating work-life balance, managing boundaries, and staying connected despite great struggles and disappointments. It is this combination of expertise and experience that informs my consultancy, Mindful Wine.
Today, the global wine industry sits at the intersection of unprecedented challenges, requiring new ways of thought and new courses of action. Emotionally intelligent, socially engaged, fully conscious leadership is needed across all sectors if we wish to sustain our industry for future generations. As we sail together into dark and uncertain waters, I believe mindfulness can light the way. Let’s take a breath and give it a try.
Chiara Shannon is a sommelier, wine educator and consultant based in Los Angeles. Follow her on Instagram @theyogisommelier and learn more about Mindful Wine at mindfulwine.co.