When I was a kid, back in the early ’50’s, there was only one mantra: “be the best you can be”. Sounds corny, and yes, the marines use it, but back then, my teachers tried their best. Students actually wanted to excel; congressmen actually legislated, and represented their constituents to the best of their abilities. Pharmacists would never get a prescription wrong, grocers knew their customers by name, and offered credit. Repairmen actually repaired…and did it right, too, plus they did it with a smile. Farmers worked the earth, did it with skill, and were proud of their achievements. Vintners usually were old school, and had been making wine for generations, by the book, and without cutting corners.

So what happened? Where did we go off the rails? A difficult question with multiple answers, and it probably happened “poco a poco”…little by little. Teachers unionized and became more interested in what was in it for them rather than how well they could teach. Parents frequently were both working, and their child became a “latch key kid”, with resultant less time and guidance for kids who “sloughed off” at home while being unattended. Congressmen poorly represented their constituents back home, and seemingly tried to steal everything that wasn’t bolted down. Pharmacies became megapolies, and pharmacists became 8 to 5ers. Grocers were bought out, then bought out again, and then yet again. There was no more personal touch, no “how are yous, nor how are the kids?” There was no more pride of teaching, no pride of doing, no pride of ownership, no pride of creating.

Yes, there were the uncommon Bill Gates types, the brainy Einstein types, the congressmen who left their jobs, spent three consecutive productive terms in congress, and then returned home to the job they had left behind…citizen statesmen, in the true George Washington sense, if you will. There were still some old school pharmacists who left you their home phone number in case of problems with your drugs. Despite the Safeways, Krogers, and Albertsons, there still remained the farmers who sold at Farmer’s Market, still took pride in their produce. Sure, there were huge agricultural monopolies, but still there were farmers, including grape farmers, who continued their quest to produce the ” best grape”. And altho many of the wineries melded into one, many still remained solo, and strove to produce the “best wine”.

The problem, obviously, was the huge majority who didn’t strive for the best, or to be the best, and slowly, sadly, became satisfied with “just good enough”. We went in one generation, maybe two, from everyone wanting to be the “best we could be”, to just a small fraction, maybe 10% or so, being satisfied with “just good enough”. Average middle America today wouldn’t recognize their counterparts two generations back. The average American today is a far cry from the citizen other countries strive to imitate. Those of us who continue to strive for perfection are many…but not the majority. Average Americans today continue to be good hearted…but do not necessarily desire, nor strive to be the best.

Today, some grape farmers are content to produce 8 -10 Tons/ acre. Others “get it” and choose to produce quality over quantity, 4-6 Tons/ acre, 3 Tons/acre, or 1-2 Tons/acre. Our Cerro Prieto Vineyard, falls into the latter category, and from that is made the best wine…our best effort. I believe that altho some vintners still shlock out wines from high yields/acre, a large number of growers and vintners strive to produce lower yielding, higher quality grapes…hence, the best wines. In the near term, probably more and more private growers will subscribe to the “lower yield is better” theory of producing the best grapes to make the best wine. Private vintners will continue to try to produce the best wine. The problem today is, a large proportion of society is content with “just good enough”. Many of us continue to be the best, strive for the best, produce the best. Problem is, we are now a minority, and a small minority at that.

Fewer and fewer Americans now make up the productive America. Somehow, someway , that has to be reversed, or we are going to become a second class country, and slowly fall by the wayside. Fewer and fewer cannot be asked to continue to do more and more. In medicine, my first love, this is an overpowering, heartbreaking truth. It would be refreshing to see some segments of society reverse this slide, and there is no reason grape growers and vintners cannot lead by example. It would be step in the right direction. It would be a start.