Learning about the winemaker experience

How winemakers do what they do

If you join a wine club, you may get to talk to real winemakers about their work. The winemaker learns the terroir of his or her vineyard and carefully matches the variety of grape to it. When the vines have been planted, they are pruned to make them concentrate on producing fruit. The winemaker considers the weather at every stage of growth, and sometimes tastes the grapes to see how ripe they are.

The harvest is the busiest time of year. In really good wineries, the grapes are hand-picked to ensure quality. Precisely what process is used to crush the grapes depends on what kind of wine the winemaker is trying for. Then there’s the jobs of maintaining the wine barrels and bottling the wine.

The winemaker experience at a winery near St. Helena

Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards in Napa Valley, a 10-minute drive from downtown St. Helena, is a great place to learn about the winemaker experience. One wine you might want to try there is the 2008 Èloge. This dark red blend was born of a turbulent year with a cold early spring, a cool late spring and summer and a hot early fall. The aroma carries the smell of black cherries, chocolate, cassis, leather and crushed rocks, with a distant hint of smoked meats. The wine has a rich flavor of chocolate-covered black cherries, currants and plums, with hints of mocha and spices.

Anderson’s wines are sold online and in five locations in Napa Valley, and many other locations nationwide. Order some today.