Wine as an Art

Our founger did experimentations in the great winemaking district in Bordeaux France which verified that his hands off "Art" approach to wine was consistent with the practices from the great regions of the world. He therefore uses French and or California styles techniques on which style he believes suits the vintage of a particular year. In the Bordeaux style you will find meritagies which are blends of usually up to three grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc) His single grape style, made popular by Napa Valley features reserve editions of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Chardonnay.

From the article “WINE An Art?” By Alfred De Martini, “Any winemaker who does not give something of himself produces wine without soul or personality. Caracciolo explains that ‘giving something of oneself, does not mean dominating the natural evolution of the wine which is the major downfall of many wines.’ He emphasizes that wine, artfully made, required the following three primary steps.

First, that the winemaker realizes that the ultimate fate of the wine depends, not so much on him, as nature’s influence upon the grapes in the field-upon the sun, wind, rain and soil.

Second, that the winemaker is merely the custodian of the natural process. Who must tease the complex subtleties from the wine with a minimum of predetermined ideas, chemical and mechanical adjustments. Every step taken by the winemaker to adjust the process before the wine matures lessens its natural quality.

Third, wines need time. And time is what many winemakers and wineries are unwilling to invest. The living beverage must be given all the time it dictates, so that when it is bottled, aged and drunk it is exciting, alive and somewhat indescribable.

Obviously, the wine does not make itself. Caracciolo has demonstrated in Europe and America as a wine consultant that it takes precision and skill to transform the wine into an art. He says, ‘the winemaker must follow the form of the wine as it emerges and dances with what the wine needs as it needs it.’