BLOOD FROM A STONE

The memoir of a hospice chaplain and grief counselor who switched gears and became a sommelier.

After years in the ministry, McHugh began questioning his career choice. While working as a hospice chaplain in Los Angeles, he was inspired by Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence and took a much-needed vacation to France, where he discovered his new calling: wine. While in Provence, writes McHugh, “my soul was coming alive through my senses.” Further, he admits, “Surrounded by these people who had such a sense of place, I felt my own absence of place. Some sort of primal homesickness was awakening in me.” However, making the career change was not something he took lightly. Knowing the importance of his hospice work, the author recalls asking himself a significant question: “How can I possibly live when others are dying?” Although his story began in France, McHugh was eventually drawn to the healing effects he felt in the Santa Ynez Valley of California. Throughout, the author charmingly writes details of the wine regions he has visited in France and California along with intriguing local wine history. Albeit limited, he also shares intimate details of his separation and divorce from his wife. The movie Sideways, which takes place in the Santa Ynez Valley, also comes up numerous times during the narrative. Admittedly feeling a little like the character Miles, played by Paul Giamatti, McHugh discusses the effect the movie had on his life, including a personal encounter with Giamatti. While the portions of the text regarding each region’s terroir are captivating, almost lyrical at times, the sections about the dissolution of his marriage and the frequent job changes he made within the wine industry create shifts in tone that detract from the primary narrative. Despite this shortcoming, however, oenophiles are certain to appreciate the book.

An appealingly inspiring journey.