Nick Dugmore, winemaker-director of Stoke Wines, talks about cancer, alcohol and wine that is farmed properly.
When I was diagnosed with cancer my relationship with alcohol changed instantly.
I was angry at it.
I think deep down we know what is causing cancer but it seems to be a huge mystery at the moment.
I believe it is death by a thousand cuts, some are deeper than others, but any amount of alcohol we consume is a wound.
A few glasses at the end of a day helps to lower cortisol levels which is great but it damages the gut lining.
Got to pay your tax.
I was consuming about half to a bottle of wine a night when I got diagnosed.
My oncologist told me that it was fine to drink alcohol while doing chemotherapy but as if I was going to do that… the sick f@#k.
The white coats go to their heads sometimes I think.
I don’t know if there is another liquid in the world that we describe ourselves as ‘having a relationship’ with.
Imagine having a relationship with coke!
We should have one with water.
Another cut.
I view my relationship with alcohol a bit like a rental property now.
Treat it poorly and you’ll get evicted.
That’s every relationship, not just alcohol. I was evicted for an unknown reason so just had to rule them all out.
That said, I don’t put wine farmed properly in the category of alcohol.
Of course, there are huge, soulless bulk wine factories that have to crop at 30 tonnes a hectare so that their business model works which in turn forces them to undermine soil biology which ultimately undermines human biology.
This ‘wine’ is patronising to the landlord and they are being kicked out as we speak.
Cancer has led to my relationship with alcohol being more special than I could have ever imagined.
My landlord built me a garden shed and didn’t even increase the rent.
I drink far more thoughtfully these days.
I drink wine from producers who have a heart.
From their heart to mine, lowers the cortisol and increases the oxytocin.
These producers openly and obviously care for the earth from which their wine comes.
It is an aspect of our industry where we can truly make a difference, because whether people drink our wine or not what we do to our landlord effects our housemates.
I don’t want them kicked out for something I did wrong.
Cancer is mother nature’s way of evicting us.
But like an alcoholic, admitting we have a problem is the first step in the healing journey.
Wine has something unique that separates it from other alcohols.
It is liquid nature and, from a spiritual and cultural perspective, it can be hugely beneficial for human health as long as we respect her.
I’m not at the beach doing a jigsaw puzzle, I’m in the waiting room at the RAH about to get a camera up my bum.
I know it will be all clear and I’m going to celebrate with a glass of regeneratively farmed Shiraz tonight.
Alcohol isn’t worth fighting for but I’m back because wine is.
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