I’ve never been a huge fan of Thanksgiving as a holiday (ever since I learned the real sort of relationship that the Pilgrims had with the Native Americans), but as an excuse to give thanks for the things we are blessed with in life, I wholeheartedly endorse it. Eating good food with friends ain’t all bad either.

We’ve got a lot to be thankful for, you and I. Chances are that we both live in a safe place, where we have the means to enjoy wine, feed our families, stay healthy, and surround ourselves with the people and the activities we love. For these things I am particularly thankful.

I am also thankful for the opportunity to be able to enjoy and fully appreciate wine, and that means I am grateful to the person who first figured out how to make it (worthy of canonization in my book) through the hard working artists of today. I’m grateful for the magical human capacity to taste and smell and for the pleasure that I am able to derive from each. And perhaps most importantly, I must give thanks for the chance to learn and share and enjoy with the people I love, and with you, dear readers.

Wherever you are and however you are celebrating (even if you are one of those Europeans for whom this holiday is such a puzzlement) I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.