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WINEMAKING Winemaker Interview ED SbRAGIA Former Beringer winemaster discusses barrels By Laurie Daniel Sonoma County, Calif. His father Gino worked there, too, and grew Zinfandel near Healdsburg. Red wine was a part of every family dinner. Still, when Sbragia attended the Uni- versity of California, Davis, he studied chemistry and was headed for a scientific career. But his first job was as a research chemist at Gallo in Modesto. "Then I got the bug," Sbragia says. He went back to school, earning a master's degree in enology at California State University, Fresno, in 1975. After a year working at Foppiano Vineyards in Sonoma County, Sbragia went to work at Beringer Vine- yards in 1976 as Myron Nightingale's assistant. He became winemaker in 1984, when Nightingale retired. In 2001, while he still held the title of winemaster at Beringer, Sbragia started his own winery, Sbragia Family Vine- yards. He and his son Adam make about 12,000 cases per year of Cabernet Sau- vignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in their Dry Creek Valley facility from vineyards in Sonoma and Napa counties. Sbragia is also still a consultant for Beringer. W What sort of improve- ments or other changes have you seen in bar- rels during your 35 years as a winemaker? Ed Sbragia: I would say the quality has improved. In general, the selection of wood is more closely regulated to give the winemaker the tightness of grain, the air drying of the oak staves and ideal toast levels for the particular wine. I feel the French barrels were good 35 years ago, (today) they are more uniform and better made. American barrels are much improved. Thirty-five years ago, the only 48 Wines & Vines MARCH 2012 American barrels were made for the spir- its industry. When coopers started making American barrels the same way French barrels are made, everything changed. American oak and French oak are very different in taste. They both are good aging containers, but the flavors are like different spices used to flavor foods. It is a subjective decision and differs from one winemaker to the other. I was weaned on French oak, and I had the luxury to stay with French. Which coopers do you prefer and why? Sbragia: No comment. I use four to five cooperages, but I am not going to say which cooper is my favorite. Sorry. What size of barrel do you prefer and why? Sbragia: The standard size of a barrel is from 225 liters to 228 liters. Bor- deaux barrels, which I use, are 225 liters. Burgundy-style barrels are 228 liters. The Bordeaux barrels are longer and not as inemaker Ed Sbragia grew up around wine. His grandfather Giulio was from Tuscany and worked at the old Italian Swiss Colony winery in OR CALIFORNIA Mendocino Sbragia Family Vineyards Pacific Ocean Napa CALIFORNIA San Francisco Beringer Vineyards NV Third-generation wine industry veteran Ed Sbragia opened his own winery, Sbragia Family Vine- yards, in 2001, while still serving as winemaster at Beringer Vineyards. W &V : W &V : Wines & Vines: