Winemaker's styles

[RobInAustin]

Dear Andrea,

First many thanks for joining us!

To me, I feel there are two kinds of winemakers in the world, each very different:

A.Those who view themself, the winemaker, as the star, manipulating the vineyard and grapes as just tools to create their own personal artistic expression, vision, and style for the wine produced.

and

B. Those who view the vineyard as the star, and believe themself, the winemaker, to be just another tool used to create the best possible expression for the terroir of the vineyard in the wine produced.

Are you more type A or B? What are your thoughts about the merits and/or flaws of the two different approaches. Do you think ultimately one or the other produces a better wine and if so, why?

Cheers,

Rob

[Andrea Sottimano]

Hi Rob,

before I began to write here, Craig told me that the questions would be all very intriguing, and, in fact, I am seeing a lot of interesting hints to start a discussion.

I don't think to be a wine maker, I prefer to think to myself simply as a "vigneron", someone that work the most of the time in the vineyard trying to grow, to develope, to concentrate and then to "catch" the best that I can from every single parcel.I am surely more "type B", but maybe I feel myself to be a part of the terroir of my zone, and not a tool.

The type A don't mind so much about differences from the terroir, that means less interest for the vineyards, that means wines without identity only in function of the fashion of the moment.

In general, I consider a wine maker someone that put the most part of the results only on the vinification, a thing that I don't agree with at all.Of course there are few exceptions, but I don't think they like to be called that way.....

Best,

Andrea

[Rebel Rose]

I don't think to be a wine maker, I prefer to think to myself simply as a "vigneron", someone that work the most of the time in the vineyard trying to grow, to develope, to concentrate and then to "catch" the best that I can from every single parcel.

What a beautiful and inspiring description.

[RobInAustin]

I don't think to be a wine maker, I prefer to think to myself simply as a "vigneron", someone that work the most of the time in the vineyard trying to grow, to develope, to concentrate and then to "catch" the best that I can from every single parcel.I am surely more "type B", but maybe I feel myself to be a part of the terroir of my zone, and not a tool.

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Andrea,

I think you EXEMPLIFY the best of "Type B" by this statement...and for my money, Type B are the ones to be admired, honored, appreciated, extolled, encouraged and loved. THEY, to me, create the finest wines in the world. BRAVO.

Cheers,

Rob