Viticulture.
I recently sat down at a bar in Eugene called The Davis and was poured a beautiful glass of ruby hued Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, USA. I marveled not only at the beauty of the color and taste of such a good glass of wine, but also of the style, size, elegance of the glass it was poured in.
Somebody had decided that Pinot Noir and other reds deserved a more elevated container with a design that would accentuate the sensuality of wine while functionally improving the experience of its bouquet and its taste. All in order to contribute to the enjoyment and desirability of the tasting experience of a product that is very time-consuming in its production…yet so ephemeral as to disappear in mere sips.
Nevertheless an entire industry focusing on the science of presentation that appeals and functionality that is able to highlight the most fleeting senses of smell and taste arose because the excellent of wine inspired better.
Innovation that does not increase enjoyment, appeal to our senses, and awaken desire to engage is not sufficiently concerned with the fulfillment of the human experience. Innovation that does not elevate our engagement of being alive is not sufficiently intelligent. In these ways, the simple grace of sipping wine can remind that the best innovations humanize us. The better innovations draw us more fully into the fulfillment of our human senses.
There is a betterment implied in the concept of innovation, but for innovation to inspire, there must be an element that engages our desire for experience for better, for more...whether more efficiency, comfort, pleasure, productivity, conservation, exploration. Innovation that inspires always does so because it intentionally brings us into connection with more humanizing experiences of our aesthetic senses.
