Pruning
There was an enormous tension I was bearing as we planned the pruning for 2023 harvest. The rain in Napa has been relentless. As we come up against spring the balance is pruning after the last frost but before bud break. With the unusual weather I was concerned that the window for pruning with confidence would be tight. That was what was initially on my mind but this year’s journey had more in store for me.
It all started when I met with Roberto to barrel taste the 2022 vintage. Roberto Alfaro is the owner of Arador who is making wine from Harmony School Vineyard, amongst others. As we approached the barrels Roberto told me not to expect much, the wine was still developing. He ages the wine using a couple of different barrel manufacturers (a.k.a. Coopers). The first barrel we tasted out of had nice structure. Tannins imparted from the barrel gave nice structure to the acid and fruitiness of the wine. The second barrel did not impart as much tannin so it gave us a chance to see how the wine was developing in a more natural state. It is more difficult to translate because it will ultimately be blended with the other barrels but again, it was tasting good! As we continued to sample the barrels Roberto lit up. The wine overall had seemed to make a turn for the best. Roberto’s passion for the wine is indescribable. Safe to say, it is VERY personal to him and I am grateful for that.
Leaving the winery Roberto and I discussed the future of Arador wine and from where he came. Life throws a lot at us and we agreed that it is important to embrace the hand life deals us. There can always be a reason why things are the way they are but it is more important to focus on including the things that are important to us and making the best go at whatever it is we want to do.
The next day NPR (National Public Radio) was hosting an interview inclusion of Mexican Americans in the wine industry. I was intrigued because Mexican Americans are the backbone of Napa. While it is obvious that they have an amazing work ethic and family values, I am learning more and more about the innovation they bring to the industry. I couldn’t help but call in and mention how Sam Kaplan mentored Roberto. Sam was receptive and Roberto took initiative. Sometimes that is all it takes. I know that this topic is more complicated but one insight I have into it is that most people are good. Social norms sometimes create an invisible wall that prevents us from working together. Roberto kicked down that door and good things happened to him.
Finally, Omar Valdez, the person who manages Harmony School Vineyard, came over and told me that he saw there was a break in the weather coming up and that we should be prepared to prune in a couple of days. Omar was kind enough to let Kittinee and I participate in the pruning. More about that in a moment.
When Kittinee came into town Susan Snyder took us over to Whetstone Wine Cellars where we met the owner, Michelle Whetstone. Michelle had just come from a seminar about women in the wine industry. During our conversation we started to talk about the next generation of wine consumers and how it has been a challenge to connect with them. The message of the wine industry has not been resonating with millennials as well as it could and we discussed the question of whether the values of the next generation are being alienated by the traditional message of the wine industry as a whole and what can the industry do to adapt.
The day before pruning, Kittinee and I went to Brett and Susan Snyder’s house for dinner. It was a great evening. The Snyder’s are one of the most ethical, intelligent and active families we know. What they accomplish in a day would take me a year. They have deep relationships with equally special people and I always find myself a better person for being around them. As Brett put me to the test on blindly identifying wines the conversation evolved. Generally speaking, volume of wine sales were down in 2022 but the price per bottle were high enough to make it a growth year financially. The question we discussed was is the wine industry contributing to a world some may view as have and have nots? Can it be more accessible to all whom wine has a role to play in their cultural norms. Can wine be more inclusive?
Kittinee and I woke up the next day energized to prune! Well….that lasted about an hour. As we were being mentored by Omar, it was quickly evident that pruning is a multi-year game of chess. A mistake in cutting the wrong shoot could take two years to fix. As Omar and his team quickly moved through the vineyard, Kittinee and I sat looking at each cut for minutes at a time; afraid to make the cut. Part of this fear is out of respect for Omar who, as I said in my previous post, planted the vineyard 18 years ago with his brother. He knows what he is doing and we decided to get out of his way and get the drinks ready for when he and his team were ready for a break. It was nice too, to see Roberto join us.
Harmony School Vineyard is a special place. Yes, it produces amazing premium fruit and ultimately wine. This is a product of bringing several special people together. What I learned pruning this season is that the wine industry is capable of bringing people together. The path there is to be brave, let go tradition that gets in the way of humanity and create a place where we listen to each other so that we can help one another belong to the greater good.