My travels took me to tiny towns where local food and wine traditions have grown up together, and to vineyards where generations of winemakers have been producing wines not only in accordance with modern day standards, but in line with the explicit style and flavor of the region. I learned that while there are “rules” about what to drink and when, the spirit of wine goes far beyond its scent and flavor profile. Wine embodies place and time, an occasion, and even a feeling. The owner of my favorite wine bar in Rome used to say that every bottle of wine has a soul inside, a story. Where did the grapes grow? Can you taste the sea breeze that rustles the leaves of the vines? When you open it, smell it, share it with others, engage with it you set it free.