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COVER STORY Jon Ruel Napa, Calif. Position: Director of viticulture & winemaking and chief operations officer Winery: Trefethen Family Vineyards Manages: 480-acre vineyard and 65,000-case estate winery Education: Bachelor���s degree from Dartmouth College; master���s degree in enology from Northern Arizona University; master���s degree in viticulture from the University of California, Davis Career harvests: Nine Winemaking mentor: Tom Prentice, Crop Care ���Y our original question was about how to make great wine, and I responded: ���Buy the vineyard and farm it���or at a minimum, make friends with your grower and talk often.��� ���My point is simply that great wine is made in the vineyard, and the more control you have over the vineyard, the more control you have over wine quality. The most control is certainly found at an estate winery, where the grower and winery are one and the same. ���That said, as with all things wine, there are many ways to skin this cat. For some wineries, owning and farming a vineyard is just not realistic, and there are many fantastic growers who focus on quality and have no interest in making wine. ���Napa Valley is full of success stories with these independent wineries and growers. Their shared success is a direct result of the ���make friends and talk often��� approach. It���s critical that the winery and the grower build a long-term relationship that includes the basic elements of trust, communication and shared goals.��� He adds, ���Keep lots separate to allow each a chance to develop before making blending decisions.��� 2013 Now Available! WINERIES SUPPLIERS DISTRIBUTORS BRANDS PR FIRMS COMPETITIONS AVAS ASSOCIATIONS EDUCATION SHIPPING GROWERS GOVERNMENT ORDER YOURS NOW! 2013 Directory & Buyer���s Guide Order now or contact us for more info! *Directory Price: $95 *Free Shipping *Exclusive Online Access Included 866.453.9701 winesandvines.com 50 W in es & V i ne s JANUARY 20 13 SEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #430 SEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #G u