Richard Jennings In Pursuit of balance article on Huffpost

[Michael_Davidson]

@RS Beck

I have to admit, since I’ve started running into this constant drum beat from Adam, I have stopped buying his wines.

It wasn’t really a conscious decision per se, I just think a slightly negative association has developed in my mind and since there are so many great wines out there, it doesn’t take that much to pass on any given wine.

This thread prompted me to send in my order for a three-pack of Adam’s syrahs.

I appreciate how forthright he is about his winemaking. I think we’d all approach wine differently if all winemakers were as free with information as Adam is. I appreciate his data-driven approach, even though it’s at odds with the popular romantic notion of wine.

Michael

[jcoley3]

@Lewis Dawson

Relating this to our subject matter (wine), I see this effect when relative new-comers to Burgundy try to define certain absolutes, while those who have studied it longer seem more comfortable with recognizing that many of the mysteries of Burgundy defy absolute conclusions, just to cite one example. So I guess you are saying that I have defined Adam into a box where he may not actually reside, and I will try my best not to do that. Thank you.

Lew,

The complexity of Burgundy is a great example, and a passion I know we share.

Speaking for myself, I know when I first got into wine, I loved to make sweeping statements and gross generalizations (“Single vineyard Soave? That’s just dumb…”) and I would almost without fail promptly come across a wine that would make my “savvy” proclamation about wine seem ill-informed. I had a choice - I could open myself to new experiences, or I could double down on my first opinion. I am glad I chose the former, because it has taken me to much more interesting places than “being right” would have.

[Richard_Jennings]

@Michael Davidson

I appreciate how forthright [Adam] is about his winemaking. I think we’d all approach wine differently if all winemakers were as free with information as Adam is. I appreciate his data-driven approach, even though it’s at odds with the popular romantic notion of wine.

Michael

Well said Michael.

Adam Lee is one of the most transparent winemakers we have. If more would follow his example, I think all of us who love this product called wine would be more knowledgeable and even more appreciative of its mysteries. In my experience, he’s one of the most intellectually honest thinkers and writers we have about winemaking choices and dilemmas, and I appreciate his generosity in sharing his thoughts in a number of forums like this.

So, looks like the IPOB organizers may have gotten a bit of a dialogue going after all, even without a panel/press discussion.

[Richard_Jennings]

@jcoley3

Speaking for myself, I know when I first got into wine, I loved to make sweeping statements and gross generalizations (“Single vineyard Soave? That’s just dumb…”) and I would almost without fail promptly come across a wine that would make my “savvy” proclamation about wine seem ill-informed. I had a choice - I could open myself to new experiences, or I could double down on my first opinion. I am glad I chose the former, because it has taken me to much more interesting places than “being right” would have.

Ditto, and very well said. It’s useful to have working hypotheses about subjects we’re learning about, so as to be actively engaged in testing and verifying them. Getting stuck with such hypotheses when the data is suggesting other answers and questions, however, is a terrible place to be.

[R_M_Kriete]

@jcoley3

Paul,

Great post.

One of my favorite things about talking to Adam is that I get the sense that he is very much not done learning as a winemaker, even though he has more experience at his craft than many California Pinot Noir producers.

Years ago in college I studied for a glorious semester with a great American poet, and one of the things he often pointed out in the work of younger writers was that they tried too hard to define the world via sweeping statements and loud proclamations. They assumed authority over things they should not have. It was a sign of maturity when a poet began seeking answers more than he sought to answer questions.

It would be nice if wine were so simple that picking at lower Brix and consequently fermenting to lower alcohol guaranteed better wine. It would be nice if particular new oak percentages guaranteed a certain flavor profile in Burgundy. Except, as Adam notes, sometimes higher malic acid means more acid adjustment. Sometimes 100% new oak in the right hands on the right vineyard in Burgundy tastes less oaky than 50%, and who knows what will happen to those “oaky” flavors with aging?

I find myself drawn to winemakers with questions much more than I am drawn to those with answers. And, even though I am drawn to Burgundy first and foremost and my only mailing list is Rhys, it seems to me that there is far more rigidity on the “low-octane” side of the debate. In fact, some of them have done so well staking out the position that to even ask questions about what they do or offer any alternative theories is enough for casual observers to place the questioners into the “high-octane” category without really bothering to check and see if that perception is truth. Yes, Lew, I’m looking at you. Rob Beck as well. I suspect Adam has ranged up and down the alcohol spread as much as any Pinot producer in California.

Perhaps California Pinot Noir is best served by groups of cheerleading winemakers backslapping each other over their principles with nary a critical word to be uttered. I doubt it. I have no doubt that some winemakers would prefer that world. It is certainly easier, particularly if you cannot live on internal validation alone. Some winemakers apparently need a constant feed of positivity from wine boards and seminars or they cannot live.

For people who love dogmatic lines drawn in the sand about your wine, I don’t think you realize how smug and arrogant they seem to those of us who don’t. The Raj Parr/Adam Lee/Keefer/Carg moment is a perfect example - Adam challenged Mr. Parr’s assumptions, and to Mr. Parr’s credit, he accepted that there were exceptions to his assumptions. I had heard about the “no wines over 14.5%” rule and promptly rolled my eyes - any sommelier relying on a wine label for alcohol information should absolutely know better. But, that he was willing to accept that Adam’s wine worked over his stated alcohol threshold made me reconsider my view of him.

Perhaps the best lesson I took away from that professor was to beware of dogma and certainty. I learned was that certainty is the enemy of wonder, and wonder makes more beauty than anything.

Thank you for such an eloquent post. I wish I could have composed this myself, but you did such a better job of expressing my feelings on the entire subject. Bravo!

[Chris_Seiber]

@Michael Davidson

I appreciate how forthright he is about his winemaking. I think we’d all approach wine differently if all winemakers were as free with information as Adam is. I appreciate his data-driven approach, even though it’s at odds with the popular romantic notion of wine.

Michael

Great comment.

I wonder how much of the “Adam Lee is a master spoofilator” view out there is just because of how transparent he is about the things he does in the cellar, compared to others who may simply keep it quiet on those occasions when they have to water back, chaptalize, acidify, add industrial yeast, or do other things in order to make their end product taste good and be successful in the market?

[larry_schaffer]

@Chris Seiber

Great comment.

I wonder how much of the “Adam Lee is a master spoofilator” view out there is just because of how transparent he is about the things he does in the cellar, compared to others who may simply keep it quiet on those occasions when they have to water back, chaptalize, acidify, add industrial yeast, or do other things in order to make their end product taste good and be successful in the market?

+1

[Adam_Lee]

Wow, Adam Lee and “master spoofilator” aren’t things I ever though I would hear together. Honestly, I’ve never taken a winemaking course in my life (except a one day course on doing labwork at Davis) and thus always thought that I was too ignorant and scared to do much in the way of winemaking interventions. Over the years, I’ve learned more certainly, but anything we’ve done has been limited to what I think are very basic techniques (such as chaptalization, adding acid, etc). And we’ve always been too cash-strapped to do those things except when it is absolutely necessary and they cost a good bit more coin.

So funny to hear that I might be considered by some a master (at much of anything) spoofilator.

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

[Ian_Brand]

@Chris Seiber

I wonder how much of the “Adam Lee is a master spoofilator” view out there is just because of how transparent he is about the things he does in the cellar, compared to others who may simply keep it quiet on those occasions when they have to water back, chaptalize, acidify, add industrial yeast, or do other things in order to make their end product taste good and be successful in the market?

I think there are far greater devils out there beyond water, sugar, acid and cultured yeast strains. Those are little sins you can say a few hail marys over and still take communion.

To return to the tasting: While I produce very little Pinot for various reasons, I think the tasting is overall a great idea. I think the idea of a curated, by invitation tasting is probably a great thing for the consumer. In larger tastings, take all comers tastings there can be a lot of fairly ‘blah’ wine between the greats and the great discoveries.

From another winemaker’s perspective, I tend to be very interested to taste the new vintages of a majority of the producers included. Ultimately it is a great, if incomplete, list. But with wide reaching and educated palates running the event, it would be fun to have a percentage of the event be wines they ‘discover’ through a blind submission process, whether they be some guy in a garage, one of the giant factories or Adam Lee, MS. That would contribute more to the ‘pursuit’ end of the spectrum.

There should be other events that move past Pinot and Chardonnay, or perhaps a rotating focus. Certainly Cab and Merlot/BDX varieties could use a IPOB tasting to focus on the pursuit of balance. Not to mention Zin (see Jon Bonné’s recent tweets). Syrah, too, if anybody would come. And maybe by location. IPOB Napa and IPOB Paso Robles would be a lot of fun.

Finally, I think the pursuit of balance in great is only valuable as much as it makes the wine transparent to place, and that this little pursuit of balance movement we’re having is only a stepping stone to the pursuit of place. To Raj/IPOB’s credit, most of the wines included are from very capable vineyards, and, maybe by design or by virtue of those producers included, place is an underlying current.

[David_Matley]

I just recently enjoyed an '05 Saphire Hill pinot. It was one of the most balanced, fragrant and delightful pinots made in the lighter style that I have enjoyed in some time. Adam you nailed that one! I also can still remember the 2010 Clos Pepe barrel sample as one of the best expressions of Clos Pepe and the SRH I have tasted in along time, albeit in a richer style. Great work Adam. The Kutch 2009 knocked my socks off, and I can’t wait to dig into the 2010 Savoy. Jamie your Anderson Valley pinot rocks! Eric, I have never been disappointed with a Ladd Cellars wine and look forward to more.

Keep up the great work Richard…love your dedication and your useful notes.

I guess I am just a little naive. I think all you guys are doing a great job!!!