With our firm’s “harvest” over it was time to get our team out of the office and into the vineyard to learn about spring farming activities.  Thanks to Debby Zygielbaum the vineyard manager at Robert Sinskey Vineyards, our team was introduced to the many tasks underway in the vineyards.  With a light mist in the air and a nice chilly breeze at our side we trooped along like a bunch of curious pups.  We ventured to the top of the hill to see the results of  pruning and to learn about the many fungi awaiting to spring forth with the warmer weather to come.

I am always amazed at how much there is to learn about viticulture.   This is why I ask our team to come out with me to discover first hand what is being done.  No worries, we are not going into the grape business, but since we serve this industry it is important that we understand the processes and the challenges that our customers face.  I truly believe that our ability to help others is enhanced when we understand, beyond the numbers, what makes up the activities of this business.  Recalling that data only gives us one perspective, I believe better solutions can be derived when we know and can see the whole picture.

Growing up in a rural farming community in northern California, I gained an appreciation for what a farmer has to contend with.  They continue to move forward, working tirelessly  to combat whatever mother nature throws at them.  In the end they had a crop to raise and a family to feed and they weren’t going to quit.  Their work ethic and commitment is truly something to admire and applaud.

Since I live near Carneros, I often awaken to the sounds of the wind machines at 2:00 a.m. Many in the community complain about the noise.  I on the other hand, lay awake wondering how bad a frost this is going to be.  Will it be like last spring where we saw a record number of frost days that created substantial damage to the crop?  I can’t change it but it does bother me because I know that there are many vineyard managers like Debby, who are working on just a few hours of sleep , to make  sure their wind machines are running properly.

Behind every great bottle of wine are hard working, caring people who want to do the right thing.  So the next time you’re enjoying that delicious bottle of Napa Valley wine take a moment to look deep inside your glass to catch a glimpse of  the women and men who dedicate their lives to making sure the grapes are the best!

Until next time…pull a cork and enjoy!

I recently spent some time with the tasting room team at a local Napa Valley winery learning what was in their 2008 barrels.  The winemaker described how the wine’s flavor is impacted by the soils, lighting, temperature and water drainage.  Hearing all the variables that impact the flavor of the wine was interesting.  However, it was amazing to taste the difference these items had on the wine.  The Pinots we were tasting from the barrel had sometimes subtle differences while others were distinctly different.  How could vines just 300 feet apart produce such different flavors?  The differences are obvious to the winemaker since he knows the vineyard block like the back of his hand.  The first barrel we tasted came from the top of the hill where the grapes received plenty of sun and had good drainage.  The next barrel’s juice came from the bottom of the hill were there is a lot of shade from the giant oaks and the soil is dense and is recipient of water flowing downhill.

The more wines we sampled and the more data that was shared it became quite apparent that being a winemaker was a blend of science, art and passion.  Being a winemaker is a very complex job. 

Oh yeah, what type of barrel would you use for the juice?  French, American, light, medium, or dark toasted each will impact the flavor of the wine.   There are many variables in winemaking and they start in the vineyard which even the best winemaker has a tough time predicting the impact the weather will have over the course of the growing season. 

I realize that what’s in that barrel is years of planning, hard labor, significant investment, understanding the vines that produced the grapes and a desire to produce the best tasting wine possible.  Like anything in life the closer you are to the activity, the clearer your vision will be of it.  As I get closer to winemaking I am discovering there is a lot more in that barrel than juice.

Until next time…pull a cork and enjoy!