Do Over: A New Beginning

As a winemaker your mind is in the future building, always building, on past vintages. Vintages are experiences, part of a voyage, not just end results. Winemakers have no favorite vintages just treasured experiences and the pain and pleasure of continually second guessing yourself.

The vines are now being pruned in the vineyards and the cycle that is agriculture begins again. In many ways it is comforting to work in a world governed by such a precise metronome. You know how you got here and where you're going.

There are always frustrations though as winemaking is slow motion business - you only get one 'iteration" per year.

What are some of my current frustrations?

• Alcohol levels continue to challenge us. While we have reduced them by more than 1% over previous vintages, we're not quite there yet. I think the sweet-spot for Napa Valley Cabernet is between 14 and 14.5% and for Oregon Pinot 13 to 13.5%. this gives you the depth, complexity and mouthfeel we hope for while still letting terroir  show through. It's a tightrope, but we'll get there - we are getting there.
• The cost of doing making wine in the Napa Valley continues to increase and will force wine prices even higher.
• Too many wine reviews are published without ever tasting the wine with food. This is like tasting only the sauce and then writing a review of the whole dish. You can never understand how it all works together.
• The fact that so many sommeliers do not have an open mind when it comes to California and, in particular, Napa Valley wines. They are not all the same.

What makes me happy?

• The limitless potential of Oregon makes it one of the most exciting wine regions in the world. This is a region where you can argue the best vineyards have not even been planted yet. It's a brave new world with no where to go but up.
• The growing appreciation of wines with a more balanced, restrained style is exciting. While for the most part this reawakening of taste has not enlightened old-school wine media yet, new wine media is all over it. The old guys better wake up or get left in the dust.
• The growing recognition and excitement around rebel, back-to-your-roots winemakers in the staid world of the Napa Valley.
• The exciting, exploding community of wine lovers on social media. Finally small wineries can actually have a marketing edge over corporate wineries. After all, real people are a lot more fun to have a conversation with.
• What I am happiest about is how far we've come with our wines. They are so, so much better. Uplifting wines that are refreshing and elegant.

While I know I will always think we can do better no matter how great the vintage, these are wines I am proud of sharing with anyone.

Do over? Not really, each vintage is a new beginning. How lucky are we?