Winemaker

What specific type(s) of wine do you make, and what made you choose it/them?

Asked by Brett over 13 years ago

Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (the grape of Napa), and then some Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. My true passion is in rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. I also have a love for Petite Sirah.

Given the sheer number of wine brands available, what can you do to set yourself apart when creating a new brand?

Asked by Fiona over 13 years ago

Finding a niche, and making great wine.

What was your background that allowed you to become a winemaker?

Asked by Albert over 13 years ago

First, a passion and love for wine then later some formal studies in Viticulture in Australia. Later an internship at a winery in Sonoma, CA, working with great winemakers and then a year’s worth of cellar work.

Besides Northern California (Napa, Sonoma, etc), what are some less obvious regions of the U.S. where the climate allows for proper winemaking?

Asked by Delilah about 13 years ago

I'm no expert on North American wine regions but I’ve tasted some great wines in Temecula and some others from the North Fork of Long Island.

Can an aspiring winemaker who lacks the capital to build or purchase a winery "rent" space/facilities from an existing winery, and if so, approximately how much does that cost?

Asked by Christine over 13 years ago

Yes, in fact the winery I work for and my own winery both rent space -- this is referred to as “custom crushing.” Custom crushing costs can vary greatly depending on location and service. For example, since I do all of my own work, our cost is far lower than the average Napa cost. Guessing I would say $30 per case average, I pay less than half that amount, but in the central coast a full-service custom crush facility may be even less than what I pay.

What's the most difficult/frustrating part of your job?

Asked by Irene over 13 years ago

The harvest is the most difficult time of year for us. We have three months to do about 80 percent of the year’s work. It can be grueling, long hours and intense physical labor -- I generally lose 20 pounds every fall.

Do you agree with Paul Giamatti’s character in Sideways that Merlot is one to avoid, or was that an unjustified remark?

Asked by Greg over 13 years ago

I don’t think that one should avoid Merlot -- like any wine there are good Merlots and bad Merlots.

I have a custom crush contract with a winery in California. I live in Washington. I found out that I have to have a California location where my license is posted. How can I do this?

Asked by Howard over 7 years ago

I have recently made a Pinot Noir from 100% juice (6 gal). We bottled about 7/30/2014. We noticed a couple of bottles leaking ,so we opened the bottles only to find they poured out and there was a carbonation in the wine.The sg was .998 when we bott

Asked by Denny Herrmann over 10 years ago

I'm also a wine maker in Sri Lanka and these days I'm experimenting on making a new(sweet) wine using some flavors,I'm using 30ppm of Sodium Meta Bi Sulphite and 300ppm of Potassium Sorbate as preservatives.Is it correct for a wine that we use sugar?

Asked by Dinira Vinoy over 11 years ago

I am a home winemaker and have 200 gallons of 2010 chardonnay with a nail polish remover taste. A long, stuck ML allowed bacteria to flourish. It has since been filtered to .5 micron and clean of bacteria, but the taste remains. What can be done?

Asked by richpart@pacbell.net almost 12 years ago

I am not a winemaker, but would like to acquire a wine or work with a winery to create a custom wine for my new biz venture. As well as use their space for storage, bottling, etc. Would this be custom crush? Or how would I do this?

Asked by Sonya over 11 years ago

why will some wines get better with age? It's just sitting in a bottle. Why are some wines meant to be consumed within a couple yrs, and others should rest for several yrs?

Asked by dirtybob over 10 years ago

is there a way to purelly use a instant pot to make honey mead?

Asked by Naraku666 about 3 years ago

I see you live in Napa - are the vintners in that area really competitive with one another, or is it more of a friendly camaraderie?

Asked by Ray over 12 years ago