Delicious Italian Wine

The worst, however, has been the pictures of wine and the beautiful rolling hills of the winery in the background with the commentary..."This is the best I've ever tasted!!!" The timing is just mean. With the time difference, her delicious wine pics arrive just about the time we are getting in the cold car to navigate traffic and haul ourselves to the office.  Just not nice.  

There is something special about fresh Italian wine. All of the elements just line up. The soil is rich and balanced, the air quality and moisture levels are perfect, and there are a bunch of other factors I really don't understand that produce a strong, nourishing vine. And that vine delivers all of the needed nutrients to its fruit. When that fruit is picked at just the right time and processed in just the right way, being sure to keep the bad stuff out, the result is noticeably different. The quality of the fruit comes from the quality of the vine it was attached to.  

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

The Bible goes on to define what the fruit of His vine tastes like...Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Mixed together, it produces a bouquet of flavor and experience that delights the palette, lacking bitterness, acidity, or any sour aftertaste- clean, refreshing, and delicious. That's a wine worth drinking!

What does your fruit taste like? What vine are you pulling from to make sure the right mix of nourishment is flowing through you? Producing all of those fruits of the spirit takes time. In my life, there always seems to be a few that are lacking (patience being the primary), which is why I need to stay attached to the vine daily.  

Take a look at what fruit you are producing. If it doesn't seem to be something others want to take pictures of and share (in a good way), consider attaching to the right vine a little longer each day to get what you need. Not doing so may produce sour and bitter grapes…and nobody enjoys a bitter, sour wine. A better vine produces better fruit. Better fruit produces a wine worth drinking and sharing.