The Wine Experience From the Family Table to the Wedding at Cana
By John Choquer, Chateau La Coeur Wine
My journey with wine began around age five, gathered at our family table for Sunday dinner. My father would pour us children a few ounces to enjoy with our meal. In our home, wine was considered part of the food and fellowship, never something to consume in excess.
Today, my father is 97 years young. He still enjoys red wine daily, remains in excellent health, and has a remarkably sharp mind. He has always revered wine, often reminding us of Christ’s first miracle and His words at the Last Supper: “Do this in remembrance of me.” Those conversations planted the seeds of my lifelong fascination with wine.
For more than 16 years, I have been a vigneron—growing wine grapes and making wine. Every vineyard, harvest, and bottle offers something new to discover. Through this column, I hope to share that excitement and invite you to explore wine’s history, flavors, traditions, and place at the table.
In North America, wine is often viewed primarily as alcohol. Across much of Europe, it has traditionally been approached as a companion to food: something to savor with a meal, conversation, and family. Neither culture is uniform, of course, but the contrast invites a question: Why wine?
For Christians, that question carries a remarkable spiritual dimension. Consider Jesus’ first recorded miracle, at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1–11). When the celebration ran short of wine, He transformed water into wine—an abundant gift that the wedding steward praised for its quality. Why begin His public signs at a wedding feast? The story suggests joy, hospitality, generosity, and transformation.
Wine appears again at one of Christianity’s most sacred moments. At the Last Supper, Jesus shared the cup with His disciples and gave it profound meaning, linking it to His blood of the covenant (Matthew 26:27–29). In Luke’s account, He told them to remember Him when they shared the bread and cup (Luke 22:19–20). What had long accompanied ordinary meals became a symbol of sacrifice, remembrance, and hope.
Then came a promise: Jesus said He would not drink again of the fruit of the vine until He drank it anew in His Father’s Kingdom (Matthew 26:29). Revelation describes the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7–9). The two passages together evoke the beauty of a glorious celebration and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wine is not an invitation to excess, nor is drinking necessary to appreciate its meaning. It is a fruit of the vine shaped by soil, seasons, patience, and human hands. My hope is that this journey opens your mind to its extraordinary story—and a new appreciation for this gift of creation. Look to future articles for in-depth discovery into the many wonders of wine and how wine is the celebration of life.
Visit https://chateaulecoeur.com.
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