CELEBRATING THE ARTISTRY OF WINEMAKING

https://www.reservebar.com/blogs/spirits-explained/celebrating-the-artistry-of-winemaking

Contribution to RESERVEBAR

“Wine is bottled poetry.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

If you have ever sat on a patio overlooking a vineyard while enjoying a glass of wine, you know that wine can be an experience. There is artistry in every glass, which one can enjoy with every sip. It’s hard to comprehend all the elements that go into making a bottle of wine, but the winemaker will make a major contribution.

At some time (not too long ago), people thought that wine made itself. Tossing grapes into an animal skin bag or a ceramic pot was quite common. Just like our nations, wine and winemaking have evolved.

Of course, science has come a long way, and we know so much more about the creation of our beloved drink now. No longer is wine-making a simple process but one that is artistic, regional, and dependent on the ideals and knowledge of the one making it. The evolution of winemaking is a rich history in and of itself.

One of the most influential winemakers, André Tchelistcheff, was a law professor who, in his 30s, decided to study enology (the study of wine) in Paris. He was then hired by a Frenchman to run Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley and set a standard for quality wine, introducing concepts like hygiene, temperature-controlled fermentation, and malolactic fermentation in his 35 years of winemaking there. All of these elements are used around the world today as cornerstones of the winemaking process. It is hard to imagine the wine world without his contributions; many winemakers continue to follow his lead, expand his research, and carve out mastery in their own right.

By definition, a winemaker is a person who makes wine. A winemaker may study enology or viticulture, but the main responsibilities will begin when the grapes arrive from the vineyard. Some vineyards have a team of winemakers, hire an outside consultant (flying winemakers), or will employ a full-time winemaker who is responsible for all the details. I have been fortunate enough to meet many winemakers in my young life while studying wine, and I admire them all. Every one of them is passionate about what they are doing and why they are doing it. I have yet to meet a winemaker who doesn't love his life’s work.

GRAN MORAINE

Shane Moore takes up the winemaking helm at Gran Moraine in the Yamhill-Carlton district of Willamette Valley in Oregon, a newer winery that was acquired by the Jackson Family portfolio. I had the pleasure of meeting Shane and can attest that his passion for the vineyard and winemaking is contagious.

He is a visionary who is enthusiastic about Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes and loves to play music in his winery. He is notorious for saying, “They say I pick early, I say they pick late.” He explained to me that as a winemaker the picking date is an important part of the resulting wine. What makes Shane special in terms of winemaking is his vision and his dedication to the vineyard. He is a winemaker that takes time to oversee all aspects of what happens during all steps in the process. The style of wine here produced with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sparkling Wines is pure elegance. I would easily compare Gran Moraine wine to the style of wine in Burgundy in terms of acidic tension, crispness, and freshness.

CAMBRIA WINE

Jill Russell combines passion and her education from California Polytechnic State University in wine and viticulture to her winemaking. Cambria Winery is located in Santa Maria Valley in California. The wines here are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Viognier, Syrah, and Rosé.

A winemaker has to walk a line between passion for a particular wine and knowing the limitation of certain grape varietals in a particular area or soil. In the American wine business, only around 20% of winemakers are women, which is just one reason to celebrate Jill! In the few short years Jill has been at the helm of Cambria, she has earned praise for her wine and her dedication to the vineyard. Her 2017 Chardonnay was selected as one of the Top 100 Chardonnays in 2019 by Wine Spectator.

While Pinot Noir and Chardonnay shine in this region, Syrah and Viognier are shining in this vineyard. If you want to try something different, try the Syrah. Syrah is a grape that is cherished in Rhone but is making a name for itself in California. Syrah is a fantastic BBQ wine with its slight peppery but smooth black and red fruit flavors. It is a delight to witness the creation of this wine by Jill and her team in a region that hasn't always been friendly to this particular grape. Jill’s keen eye and senses are celebrated in the wine world, and we look forward to witnessing further production under her artistic leadership.

BANFI

Italy is known for its award-winning wine. Castello Banfi has been at the forefront over the years. Banfi is a great story because it was founded by John Mariani in 1919 and is currently operated by his granddaughter, Cristina Mariani-May.

Banfi is named after his aunt, Teodolinda Banfi, who greatly influenced his views toward fine wine. Banfi arrived in Montalcino in the 1970s and brought revival to Brunello. They were one of the first to start planting in the southern part of the zone. They then planted with Sangiovese and international varieties, which brought revival and success to the region. Soon others joined in, creating a frenzy.

An important part of winemaking comes from the grapes that are grown in the vineyard. It is often said, “You cannot make good wine with bad grapes.” The dedication Castello Banfi has for clonal research and innovation makes them stand apart in terms of quality and dedication. Because Tuscany, in central Italy, is known for its focus on the Sangiovese grape, Banfi invested in groundbreaking research that looked at the Sangiovese and identified different clones. Essentially, a clone is a single vine, a vine from cutting, or buds from a single “mother” vine. Clones are important because they can give different attributes to the wine.

When Banfi started the research, they identified about 650 clones of Sangiovese on the Banfi estate. In 1992 the estate planted a few clones they thought were the highest quality and that complemented each other. This type of dedication to winemaking is an important part of creating quality wine, which has been a constant for Banfi.

The San Angelo Pinot Grigio is a crisp, lovely example of the grape grown in Tuscany. Banfi Aska Bolgheri and Castello Banfi Summus Super Tuscan also stand out. Whatever you try, it will not disappoint.

DON MELCHOR

Don Melchor’s wine comes out of Central Chile (Maipo) but more specifically Puente Alto, which is a perfect spot for Bordeaux varietals.

I was lucky enough to taste past and current vintages of Don Melchor, and these wines are elegant and nuanced in the same breath. The 2017 vintage is already beginning to shine, and the 2018 is so structurally perfect that its path to greatness is inevitable. Enrique Tirado, the winemaker here, says, “I try to make a wine of best quality, expression, balance, and great emotion.” There is a lot of time spent on finding the perfect blend of the finished bottle. The approach to blending is similar to the great Bordeaux varietals. The blends are Cabernet Sauvignon dominant with small variations in vintages.

I spoke to Amanda Barnes, author of The South American Wine Guide, and mentioned how impressed I was with this wine. She agreed and said, “In the past few years Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab blends from Alto Maipo have undergone a revolution in style — becoming much more polished and elegant while showing depth and complexity and also finesse. The excellent recent vintages on release at the moment also go to prove how Chile’s winemakers have mastered the variety and that Alto Maipo really is a world-class terroir for Cabernet Sauvignon.”

FLOWERS WINERY

Flowers Winery is driven by showing a pure expression of where grapes are grown. Their commitment to organic and biodynamic farming is a constant in their winemaking philosophy.

The Huneeus family has two of my favorite winemakers at their wineries: Chantal Forthun at Flowers Winery and Rodrigo Soto at Quintessa. Rodrigo is now the general manager for Quintessa, among other properties, and his passion for organic farming and knowledge of biodynamics have transformed the vineyards here and elevated an already incredible wine. I spent some time with Rodrigo on the estate, and what impressed me the most was his love and care for not only the land but how to consistently make better wine. Biodynamic farming is the original green farming. It is based on the theories of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, which include organic viticulture and pushes for self-sustaining farms with mineral-based soil treatments and using lunar rhythms to drive aspects of farming.

CREATING ARTISTRY FROM GRAPES

When a winery establishes itself and begins to make wine, they have to determine what grapes they will grow and what style of wine they want to produce. This may seem like a simple task — but it really isn’t.

One of my favorite books is Terroir Footprints by Pedro Parra. In it, he says, “In 2008 there was no Instagram nor was it possible to find wines from other countries in the national market. Very few knew where Barbaresco, Ribera Sacra, Loire, and other places like Montrachet were located. Many even thought that Chianti Classico was the name of an Italian variety!”

Pedro is passionate about the sense of place of grapes and varietals and the uniqueness of what each region, country, and place brings to wine. He identifies the true fact that wineries and winemakers not only have to make great wine but find a way for people to buy those wines and educate them about where the wine is coming from. This is a huge task for a winemaker trying to carve out something unique.

If you have ever picked a grape from a vineyard and tasted the bitter, acidic example, it is hard to imagine what that grape will become in a wine. But a winemaker knows, creates a beautiful product out of raw materials, and makes it accessible. When you break down all the tasks involved in this process, you start to understand the complex intelligence and creativity that is poured into your bottle of wine.