Vineyard vs. Winemaker

What's more important, the vineyard that creates the grapes or the winemaker who creates the wine?  I was once told that any chef can make great food with great ingredients.  Does the same hold true for winemakers?  I worked in kitchens long enough to see some good chefs ruin great ingredients with all the best intentions; so I don't know.  I do know that  great wines are made in the vineyard.  Does that mean that vineyard sites can guarantee a wines quality.  According to the French government and the classification of 1855 the answer is yes.  The soil composition, climate, sun exposure and water conditions all play a part on the grapes quality and complexities. Conditions affecting the quality of the fruit however, don't end there.  The owner's selection of what grape varietals to plant on this site, the vine's age, how they are pruned and trellised, as well as how much fruit is allowed to ripen all affect the quality of the grapes.  Now let's not forget about the weather.  Temperature, rainfall and the possibility of storms (snow, ice, frost, hail) all have possible affect on the outcome of the harvest.

For the sake of argument, let's say conditions for the growing year were perfect.  The vineyard in question is owned by the farmer. Each year he can control all factors of his vineyard, or he can contract control to a winemaker or winery. If he contracts to someone else, they usually dictate how the vineyard is farmed. They determine how the vines are trellised, pruned, how much fruit is allowed to set per vine and when the fruit is harvested.  All have a huge affect on the outcome of the bottled wine, but again, these are all factors determined in the vineyard.  Let's say this farmer kept control of his vineyard this year and grew a perfect crop of grapes.  He harvests the grapes and sells the crop equally to three different wine makers.  Now the remaining outcome of the wine to be made rests in the hands of the winemaker.  He may now choose how to press the fruit, how long to ferment it and with what yeast and what type of barrels to age the wine in and for how long.  The three winemakers that received the farmer's fruit now have many choices to make.  Winemaker #1 crafts a beautiful wine and some critic rates it 89 and a best buy.  Winemaker #2 crafts a beautiful wine and it receives a rating of 92.  Winemaker #3 makes what some feel is a beautiful wine.  All except one well known critic.  He tasted the wine twice and felt the wine was corked.  He rated the wine a 69 and possibly tarnished the reputation of the winemaker.

What's more important, the vineyard, the winemaker or the media?  I still don't know.  Why did I ask the original question?  I am drinking a Chardonnay from the historic "Bacigalupi Vineyard" made by a winemaker I'm not familiar with.  I've had some great wines from the vineyard but have never had a wine from this winery, so I thought I would try it.  The wine is wonderful, rich, oaky, and has a big mouth watering balance. It is complemented with notes of caramel and tropical fruits.  A delicious effort by the winemaker.  I would definitely buy this wine again.  What I found most interesting about this vineyard as I did a little research was this.  In 1973 the owner's of the Bacigalupi Vineyard; located in the Russian River Valley in Sanoma County, sold grapes to Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley.  So what, happens all the time.  Are you familiar with a little event that happened in 1976 known as "the Judgement in Paris?"  At that time, French wines were touted as the best in the world.  California wines were barely on the map.  The Judgement in Paris was a blind tasting of wines, pitting California against France.  The white wine that won...  1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay.  If your not familiar with the story, you can watch Hollywood's version in the movie "Bottle Shock."  So what makes the wine?


Tom Cook

"In water one sees one's own face;

But in wine one beholds the heart of another."

~ French proverb

#Chardonnay, #BacigalupiVineyard, #ChateauMontelena, #JudgementInParis, #BottleShock