On my recent visit to the Napa Valley I was amused and dismayed by the story of a vineyard owner with a yen to make a “high-points” Chardonnay.
We all know what that means. New oak. Ripe and oily fruit. Full malolactic. Lees stirring. The works.
Nothing wrong with a wine like that, especially if it’s what you like to drink. But to make a rich, heavy, high-alcohol Chardonnay merely to bag an eye-popping score from one of the big wine publications seems to me to send the wrong message.
Vintners should make the wines that please them. In the playground of my imagination, the best wines tell a story about the location of the vineyard, the care and attention to detail of the winegrower as he tends the vines through the season, and the sensibility of the winemaker as he or she brings about an expression of those unseen factors in a wine that reflects a specific place and moment in time.
I realize this notion may be a bit too romantic for a wine lover who’s merely looking for a good drink. But I think I’ve found both.
One of my most memorable visits last week was a Saturday morning tasting with Elizabeth Pressler and Spencer Graham at their Elizabeth Spencer tasting room in Rutherford. The wines were exquisite and they were delightful.
Best of all, they make the wines they like to drink. Wines that are fresh and appealing, with mouth-watering acidity and well measured oak where appropriate. I was impressed with the impeccable quality and lovely balance of everything I tasted. These are sensuous, delicious wines from two people who are passionate about winegrowing and have an unwavering vision.
They and their wines (a number of vineyard-designates from Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino) are the subject of my Creators Syndicate column this week, which you can hopefully read in a newspaper near you, or access by clicking here.
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