Postmodern Winemaking

French Ban Sensible Winemaking Altogether

Submitted by Clark Smith on Wed, 10/25/2006 - 4:50pm

The Pinochio wine debacle seems to have hopped the border from Italy to France. INAO has proposed a ban on oak alternatives to barrels for wines of appellation.

Skill in the Cellar vs Benign Neglect

Submitted by Clark Smith on Tue, 10/24/2006 - 12:23am

Kudos to Eric Asimov and his respondents to his Watch What I Do, Not What I Say blog concerning interventionism in winemaking. My initial response included a reference to "field oxidation" which I promised to expand on here in more depth than I felt appropriate to hog on Eric's site.

Wine without sulfites, Roman-style

Submitted by Clark Smith on Sat, 10/21/2006 - 11:14pm

Two points to begin. First, I don't subscribe to the health arguments. Since the human body produces a gram of sulfites per day -- ten times as much sulfites as you find in a bottle of wine -- how can there be an allergic reaction to sulfites? And second, there are many technical methods to make wine without sulfites -- pasteurization, as is done for Japanese sake, to name one. That's not my interest.

Sympathy for the Devil

Submitted by Clark Smith on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 6:38pm

Kudos to Eric Asimov of The Pour. His critical but sympathetic portrait of the much maligned Michel Rolland is a model for wine journalism, particularly in support of intervention in winemaking.

First time I’ve heard this truth written so succinctly. Of course winemakers intervene! That’s our job, just like any other chef. Do you want your dinner to “make itself?”

Good Structure as the Key to Soulfulness

Submitted by Clark Smith on Fri, 09/08/2006 - 11:00pm

Pinocchio: It Takes One to Know One

Submitted by Clark Smith on Thu, 08/03/2006 - 8:45pm

How’s your Italian? The latest phrase to learn: “Pinocchio Wine.” This refers to a new Italian political movement “to protect the industry against artificial ageing techniques,” by which they mean use of oak chips.

After serving a decade with the OIV Groupe d’Expertes Sur la Technologie du Vin, I can assure you that wine purity through effective regulation is not the Italian way. That would be the French. The Italian way is (surprise!)…LOOKIN’ GOOD!

In response to Eric Asimov on sweetness of California wines

Submitted by Clark Smith on Sat, 07/22/2006 - 3:28pm

Heated discussion ensued in response to Eric Asimov's indictment of California wines for what he termed "sweetness." (See http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/19/dining/19pour.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin)

A large number of responses ensued, defending our honor.

San Diego Reader on GrapeCraft vs hang time

Submitted by Clark Smith on Thu, 07/06/2006 - 4:56am

You need good eggs from the chicken, but don't ask her to scramble them for you... http://www.sdreader.com/published/2005-07-21/crush.html

Practicing Postmodern Winemaking

Submitted by Clark Smith on Thu, 06/08/2006 - 3:40am

Dear Mr. Smith:

I'm working on an article about the tools modern wine makers have at their disposal to make better wine. Vinovation seems like the company to talk to. I'd like to know if I could set up a time to interview you and/or other principals to learn about what Vinovation offers to its clients.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to learning more.

David

Dear David:

Reproduced: submittal on Micro-oxygenation to Jancis Robinson's Purple Prose:

Submitted by Clark Smith on Thu, 06/08/2006 - 3:38am

The result of excessive hangtime is wine with pruney flavors, excessive alcohol and little longevity. Patrick Ducournau's rediscovery of micro-oxygenation provides us today a much more gentle and sophisticated method to refine the hard tannins which characterize properly ripe red grapes. This can be accomplished by a skilled hand without oxidizing the wine and in doing so one can actually extend wine longevity by promoting color and tannin stability.

Pages