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GRAPEGROWER INTERVIEW 40 WINES&VINES March 2017 J im Barbour, one of the Napa Valley's leading viti- culturists, grew up on his family's Rutherford vineyard. The Barbours grew Gamay, Mondeuse and Petit Bouschet that E. & J. Gallo Winery har- vested for its jug wine program. They also farmed stone fruit and walnuts, but the future of the valley was wine grapes, so that became the Barbours' focus. The young viticulturist's childhood chores focused on the farm, so when he went to college, he planned to try something new: being a parole officer. He quickly decided that wasn't the career for him, however, so he went back to what he knew. He transferred to the University of Cali- fornia, Davis, and graduated in 1975 with a degree in plant science. While he was at Davis, Barbour would return home on weekends to drive a tractor for prominent viticulturist Frank "Laurie" Wood at Frank Wood & Sons. After graduat- ing, he went to work for the company full time until Wood's retirement in 1990. Barbour then started his own manage- ment company, Barbour Vineyards. In his 40-year career, Barbour has planted and managed some of the valley's best and best-known vineyards and has worked with winemakers such as Celia Welch, Heidi Barrett, Philippe Melka, Aaron Pott, Thomas Brown and Martha McClellan. He currently manages about 500 acres of vineyards for various clients including Hundred Acre, Revanna, Jones Family, Checker- board, Tietjen, Keever and Alejandro Bulgheroni. In 1995, Barbour launched his own Barbour Vineyards wine brand, for which Welch is the current winemaker. The label produces 300 cases of dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon from Barbour's 4-acre vineyard in southern St. Helena. Barbour is also a partner with Barrett and John Schwartz in Au Sommet, a project on Atlas Peak. Q What new vineyard technologies are you most excited about? Jim Barbour: In terms of technology, we're excited about potential new in-field testing kits for virus detection. Cur- rently, we have to drop off or ship samples to be tested, and A CONVERSATION WITH Jim Barbour Farming vine by vine in the Napa Valley By Laurie Daniel