Wine Blog

The Winemaker's Dance

Posted by: Trudy and Rob

Friday, May 23, 2008 9:25 AM

Robert Mondavi, one of the pioneering California winemakers, died this past week at the age of 94. I had been thinking of talking a bit more about winemakers and this got me thinking about it again. The Winemaker's Dance is actually the title of a book given to us by my grape growing friends Mike and Terry Lamborn. The book, written by Jonathan Swinchatt and David Howell, is an examination of the history of Napa, geological and otherwise, mixed in with techniques of the wine industry and insights into wine personalities. It's this last subject, personalities (of winemakers), that I think of with respect to Mr. Mondavi.

Many folks who are into epicurean pursuits are familiar with celebrity chefs such as Anthony Bourdain (who also does exotic travels on the Travel Channel), Mario Batali, and Bobby Flay, to name just a few. The Food Channel has made the chef career well known to it's viewing audience and has advanced the career and recognition of many a chef. Think of Emeril Lagasse and Rachel Ray for example, as well as Batali. While these folks cooked really well before their TV exposure, they were not particularly well known. Now, for the most part, you can't get a table at their restaurants.

Winemakers don't have quite the same level of exposure, but when they reach the top of their trade, they are sought after every bit as much as their cooking cousins (chefs) and can reap the financial rewards as well. However, it ain't easy to get there. There are several paths take. University of California Davis has perhaps the most recognized wine program in the country and many winemakers have attended college there. But you don't have to have a formal education to succeed in the business. A lot of determination helps.

Many have started out as what's known as cellar rats, an entry level position that requires hauling around hoses, cleaning wine barrels, and whatever else there may be to do at the bottom. It doesn't pay well either. Other folks have started out by working the harvests here and overseas, learning what they can from the people they work with. The common denominator is a passion for wine. In my daydreams, I sometimes wish that I could have followed such a path. Chefdom might not be bad either, except of course for the tremendous amount of time, effort, and luck that's involved to do well!

While not a celebrity at the beginning, Robert Mondavi was a driving influence in the process of establishing a California wine industry that produced great wines as opposed to the jug wines so commonly found when he really launched his efforts. The industry owes him a huge debt although his path was anything but smooth. There were family fights (literally in one case), corporate battles (which he eventually lost), and lots of turns along the way. But he did pave the way for the current crop of stars in the wine industry. The list includes people such as Helen Turley, Randy Dunn, and Hedi Barret, who happens to make the wine for Mike and Terry Lamborn Lamborn.com (a shameless plug for Lamborn wines!) as well as her own label, and many more. Turley and many others consult with several wineries at a time and command salaries that would do one proud. They also appear for the most part to love their work.

Let's see...work in a beautiful setting, enjoy great weather, eat great food and drink fine wine. Could we handle it? It might be fun to try. A bit more on this subject later.

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