Why did you become a winemaker?
I loved the idea of taking raw materials and making them into something special.
If you weren’t a winemaker what would you be and why?
I would be a photographer because it’s all about capturing the moment.
What is your greatest strength as a winemaker?
Trusting my intuition.
What is your biggest weakness as a winemaker?
Worrying about the grapes all harvest long.
What’s the one mistake you made in the cellar you would never repeat?
Not servicing wine making equipment prior to harvest.
What is your proudest achievement?
Making a wine that you felt you could not do anything else to it to make it better.
What was your scariest vintage to date?
2008, the year of the Mendocino Forrest fires.
What is your favorite word or saying?
“Mercy!”
What is your most prized possession?
My Edward Curtis print from 1897.
Which of the five senses is your strongest?
Taste.
What is your biggest motivation?
Always trying to make that perfect bottle of wine.
Which bottle of wine would you choose to be stranded with on a deserted island?
Zinfandel.
What is the difference between a good and great wine?
About $30.
Name three individuals you would like to have dinner with.
Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe & Albert Einstein.
What does the concept of “balance” mean to you?
All parts of a wine are just as they should be.
What is the one thing you want people to remember about your wine?
Just that they enjoyed it.
Best comment made about your wine? Was it by a consumer, trade or press?
“I never liked Pinot Noir until I tasted yours.” – Consumer
