Welcome to the Wine Industry

So, last month at this time I entered a completely new industry head first— the wine industry. Having graduated from culinary school, I did have some basic knowledge of wine but discovered alarmingly fast that I had only touched the tip of iceberg. The subject of wine goes so much more deeper and vaster than I ever could have imagined; just when you think you might know something you talk to someone who actually does know something, and then you realize you know nothing at all. Welcome to my life. I walked into my first day at the job thinking it would be easy. I mean, I can totally break down a chicken in five minutes flat, whip up an unbreakable hollandaise and bake a mean loaf of French bread…of course I would be fine discussing different varietals and vintages. I mean, obviously. Little did I know.

In the past month I have learned about grapes. I’ve learned that Pinot Noir grapes like cool weather and the fog in Dry Creek Valley acts like a blanket for our “La Brume” Chardonnay (La Brume literally means “the fog”), providing that cool mist so the grapes ripen perfectly. I’ve learned about barrels—that new French oak barrels deliver the most flavor and after five years, a barrel is considered almost neutral and lends no flavor at all to the wine inside. French oak barrels come from five different forests in France, you know, and each forest’s wood has a special flavor that the winemaker selects specifically for that wine he is making. I’ve learned to think of the act of making wine like seeping tea; the longer you keep the teabag in the hot water, the stronger the tea will be. In turn, the longer the skins are kept on the grapes, the more tannic the wine will become.

I’ve also learned that I do actually like BIG reds. I used to only drink Pinot Noir but after tasting some ‘97 Cabernet Sauvignon and an ‘85 Syrah/Petite Syrah blend, I’ve discovered that wine is a living and breathing thing and its boldness speaks to the drinker. For the first time, I’ve been able to taste the real terroir in the wine. I’m talking the earth, the soil, the hands of the pickers, the sun and the fog.

But yet—I still feel like I know nothing at all. I can’t tell you which vintages are the best or what exactly you should pair with your 2007 Cabernet Franc. I can tell you, though, that there is nothing like a bowl of homemade macaroni and extra sharp cheddar cheese with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. But we all knew that already, right?