Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/101495
COVER STORY Karen Culler Napa Valley, Calif. Position: Winemaker Wineries: Wolf Family Vineyards, Ladera, Renteria Wines, Probst, Rivera, Culler and Casaeda Manages: 20,000 cases Education: Bachelor���s degree in botany and agronomy from Ohio State University; master���s degree in viticulture and enology, University of California, Davis. Career harvests: 25 Winemaking mentor: David Lake, ���now deceased but the first winemaker I worked for at Columbia Cellars in Seattle.��� K aren Culler says that handling grapes gently and using native yeast are important in her approach. She adds, ���Nothing can beat great grapes. Get grapes from nicely balanced, well-drained, preferably rocky soils with low-yielding vines.��� Michael Richmond Napa, Calif. Position: General manager Winery: Bouchaine Vineyards Manages: 25,000 cases E ucation: Bachelor���s degree from the University of d Texas; short courses from the University of California, Davis; apprentice at Freemark Abbey Career harvests: 42 Winemaking mentors: Brad Webb, Freemark Abbey; Dick Graff, Chalone Vineyards; Larry Brooks, L.M. Brooks Consulting; Dave Ramey, Ramey Wine Cellars M ichael Richmond, general manager of Bouchaine Vineyards and a founder of Acacia Winery, provided an exhaustive list of steps he takes to improve already outstanding wine: ���We are constantly engaged in improving the wines, not just following the same pattern from year to year.��� He attends seminars to keep abreast of new developments in wine and vineyard technology. ���This year we have attended seminars on new yeast and fermentation adjuncts, Hungarian oak barrels, sensory evaluation, botrytis management, the World of Pinot tech seminar and will be attending the Steamboat Pinot Conference.��� He adds, ���We stay current with trade publications���all in an effort to stay current with new resources and developments in the science of wine quality.��� In addition, he meets at least monthly with his farming company to discuss vineyard operations and ongoing trials in new pruning methods, vine restoration, soil management, etc., always asking leading questions about improving fruit quality, any new technology they should consider and long-range planning. ���In the cellar we have ongoing research with yeast trials, malolactic trials, barrel trials, fermentation matrix trials���all with an eye toward what works, what doesn���t and what can we improve on given our fruit in our environment with our personnel and ownership. We taste in-house, inviting non-employees from the wine trade to help keep our judgment broad to guard against developing a ���house palate��� among those of us who actually make the call. We attend many tastings where we actively sample a representation of currently available wines just to stay current with the wine market. We are currently involved in a fruit exchange with two other winemakers���each 46 W in es & V i ne s JANUARY 20 13 of us vinifying each other���s grapes to compare and learn from the results.��� Richmond continues, ���Among ourselves, we have many energetic discussions (appearing as outright war to an outsider) over points of differing opinions, always challenging our assumptions. Complacency is the greatest threat to quality. We invest in the best equipment, tools and services to make better wine and assure a high standard of quality control. We have acquired a stateof-the art crossflow filter, ozonater, alcoholizer, data-tracking program, additional small fermentors and, most recently, to assure sanitation and stable wines in the bottle: a steam generator.��� He is expanding trials with different styles of oak barrels to see if they can improve the allure of the Pinot and the grace of the Chardonnay. ���The 2011 wines were severely triaged to select only the finest wines of what we thought might be too subtle a vintage to be consistent with our wines over the past five years; 60% of our 2011 Pinot was sold off to maintain that commitment to quality. ���We remain our worst critics, constantly challenging every operation we do in the light of evolving opinions in the technology world and the input we receive from fellow winemakers, consumers, the wine trade and our owners. We remain students of wine.���