Winemaking - Art vs Science

I use a lot of science. I’m a science backed person with a whole bunch of college degrees. Science gets me 90% there. The last 10% is… When you’re in a vineyard there’s an intrinsic feeling to that vineyard, no matter where that is. 

Jodar is a great example. Jodar is on a cliff. It overlooks the American River Canyon. Jodar, one half, the half that is all Cabernet, you can feel that’s going to be a powerful thing. Something about that spot brings the power. Where the Chardonnay and actually Petits Sirah is, it’s in the shade and it is notably more feminine. 

That is something I have to learn as a winemaker to bring out. If I made those wines exactly the same they would be monotonous. The trick is to find what the vineyard wants to be and let it be that. Like I said, I can get there 90% with science that last 10%, that’s the art. 

A lot of winemakers don’t have any science. They come at it from a pure art point of view. What you get are one or two wines from everything they make that are very good and the rest of it is not good at all. The trick is you want everything to be at 90% to start and the 10% is your artistic touch.