Wine News & Articles

I heard about an interesting comment on Robert Parker’s site this week.  To the question "How do you define a ’boutique’ wine producer?", someone replied "One that is failing".  Well, I have great regard for Mr. Parker, but he DOES tend to attract more than his share of macho wine drinkers.

My wine road recently led me down a side street called "Just For the Love of It", a small detour off of Memory Lane where all the inhabitants are amateur winemakers.  Such inhabitants are invariably an enthusiastic lot, eager to pour their product for anyone who stands still long enough to ask for directions.  And such generosity provides fertile breeding ground for fond wine memories.

The fondness may or may not stem from the wine itself - they vary wildly from year to year and producer to producer.  But all these wines, from the great to the forgettable, have one thing in common - they were made by people who went to significant expense, inconvenience and discomfort to create a product they love, the very root of the word amateur.

Today, the word Amateur is often used as a pejorative (define).  The phrase "She’s just an amateur winemaker" drips with the implication that her efforts do not result in a satisfactory product.

Wikipedia provides an alternative definition which stems from the Latin root (amat) meaning "a lover of". In this sense, retaining its French inflexion ("am-a-TEUR"), an amateur does what they do out of a love or passion.  It implies that such a person deserves high regard and that, to pursue an activity for reasons other than love, such as merely to keep creditors at bay, could be considered moral turpitude (define).

This week I’ve asked people what they do strictly for the love of it.  Perhaps not surprisingly, the number one response related to the procreation of the species.  However, once that common hobby is out on the table, so to speak, a host of other activities come into the conversation:

1. "I go fishing.  Especially fly fishing."
2. "Dancing" / "Working out" / "Running"
3. "Playing Golf"
4. "Reading"
5. "Singing" / "Playing music"
6. "Working crossword puzzles"
7. "Taking a walk with my 4-year old"
8. "Cooking" / "Entertaining"
9. "Making wine"…

Whether the activity energizes or brings quiet contentment, a person in the pursuit of a passion is fun to be around.  Such pursuits are uniquely human.  And I think they’re the healthiest way to strive for excellence.  Which is why I admire home winemakers. 

"But Dave, if you could have a wine rated 90+ or a wine with a score under 90, wouldn’t you always choose the 90+ wine?  I mean, ‘duh‘!"

No.  Wines over 90 are reliable.  They are even sometimes truly fine, memorable wines.  But there is seldom mystery.  There is seldom a great story.  There is somehow, less humanity to a highly produced wine.  To really experience wine, if you truly love wine, you want to try it all, to get as many wine experiences as possible.

Enter the home winemaker.  Just as people enjoy listening to a community orchestra, or find Minor-League baseball enjoyable, or buy art from non-famous artists, or buy tickets to a local theater production, or… for many of these same reasons I enjoy the wines of home winemakers.  You’re almost always sure to experience a unique expression of another person’s passion.

Sometimes such wine is made in the garage - the true garagistas - sometimes in a converted workshop or basement (photo - the converted basement of winemakers Scott Walker & Sarah Furstenow-Walker).  Sometimes they make more wine than they could ever drink themselves, and end up giving away their wine to their mail carrier, plumber, dry cleaner, co-workers and relatives.  But they have one thing in common - they can not sell their product.  For that, you have to have a license.

Which brings me to the rarefied few who succeed in turning this passion into a profession.  I am lucky to work with three such winemakers - the Shudics of Chateau Burbank, the Whites of Ovene Wines and the Dascombs of East Valley Vineyards.  Each of these winemakers still holds a day job, but (just like my blogging idol, Alder Yarrow) dedicates much of their spare waking hours to their passion.  And while I can only wish that I could bring you the wines of some of my favorite hobbyists, I CAN share with you some of the wines from these fine winemakers.

Chateau Burbank, 2002 Chardonnay, $19.50
Tom Shudic, Owner and Winemaker.  For over 20 years now, Tom has been making Chardonnay exactly the way he likes it - big, rich and buttery.  Though this style may be out of current fashion, it’s the way Tom likes it, and so do a lot of our customers!  Drink this wine as you would a red wine - with a slight chill.  Big enough to stand on its own as a cocktail wine.

Ovene Winery, 2004 Pinot Noir, Solomon Hills Vineyard.  $40
This well-maintained vineyard is in the Santa Maria Valley, one of the two best areas for pinot in all of Santa Barbara County.  The sort of wine that fueled the rocketing sales of Pinot Noir since Miles gave his ode to pinot in the movie, Sideways.  Worth the money, even if you’re on a tight budget!

East Valley Vineyard, 2003 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County.  $33
David Dascomb, Owner/Winemaker. David’s family grew grapes when he was growing up, but he is the only one of them who has also grown into the winemaker role. His wines have won numerous awards, but the one I like to talk about is the praise granted this wine from another Santa Ynez Winemaker - "Perhaps the most complete pinot I’ve tasted all year". I have just a handful of cases remaining.

Cheers!
Dave Chambers, Wine Merchant
Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com
Toll Free 866-746-7293