It seems there is a changing of the guard in Ca. winemaking. New wine makers (TRB, Russell Bevan, Mike Smith, Manfred, Morgan, etc.) seem to have taken over from the previous generation of Helen Turley, Heidi Barrett, Mondavi’s, Melka, etc. Obviously they are still making wine but there does seem to be a shift.
Tim Mondavi probably wouldn’t agree.
But the others would? Don’t understand your response. The OP obviously is asking other folks for their opinion/feedback.
Steve, my initial thought is, how do you define it? General thoughts about the “respect” commanded by those winemakers? The $$ fetched for the wines they make? Amount of internet “chatter” about them? Or something else? It’s pretty subjective, and I think you need to provide some parameters here.
It’s just chasing new offerings with more cachet (except for Continuum). It’s like the mad rush for Morgan Twain-Peterson’s Bedrock wines. I know that Joel Peterson is completely on board with his son’s success, yet so many think Bedrock’s Old Vine is the biggest bargain out there while I think the biggest QPR is Joel Peterson’s Ravenswood Teldeschi Vineyard, which has been discounted to $24.00 and is a deep reflection of a Dry Creek Zinfandel, for vintages 2007- 2011. I have not tried the 2012 yet.
More about the quality of the wines they make combined with wines people are seeking out. Schrader, Rivers Marie, SQN, Bevan, Myriad, Carter seem to be wines people are wanting to buy. Not even sure what Heidi, Turley, etc are making. It seems not too long ago Helen Turley was the winemaker a lot of wineries wanted as the face of their organization, now TRB and Mike Smith seem to be in more demand
I am still buying wines from Bo Barrett and Paul Draper. How many generations does that put me behind?
I guess I dont’ understand what “changing of the guard” means. Are you suggesting a change in winemaking style or simply popularity? Popularity is fickle so I could care less about how that changes. In terms of style, as with Howard, I’m multiple changes behind.
I think this is happening in much of the new world and particularly those regions that were either born, or had a renaissance in the 70s.
Yes and no. I don’t believe Paul Draper is all that involved with day-to-day winemaking at Ridge anymore, and Bo Barrett is a guard that already changed.
It is going to happen over time as new people come on the scene. It doesn’t mean that the old guard is less relevant just that there are new people in the business. Some people are ready to take a step back and not try to make as many wines. TRB and Mike Smith (and I love both of their wines) make wine for a bunch of wineries. I don’t see how they don’t wear themselves out.
Hard to throw Melka in that group when he consults/makes:
Dana Estates
Lail
Vineyard 29
Fairchild
Seavey
Skipstone
Melka
Adamvs
Brand
Entre Nous
Parallel
Moone Tsai
Long Shadow
Roy Estate
Gandona
Gemstone
Hundred Acre
among probably a few others.
Just my way of saying that I’m a big fan of Continuum.