One of my professors at UC Davis once told me, "We'll teach you the science of winemaking, but you have to go out on your own and learn the art." He was dead-on. True winemaking is a delicate balance of science and art. For me, I even argue that winemaking is science as an artform. It has to be, because I'm so left-brained I can barely draw a stickfigure! In all seriousness though, science has always fascinated me, and to be able to utilize the structured nature of a fundamentally scientific process (fermentation) to create something as amorphous and subjective as wine is simply thrilling.
Science, though necessary (I assert) to make a good wine, must be balanced by the art and the ability of the winemaker to look at the whole rather than the parts. Both are necessary to create the best wine. In order to best illustrate, I think it is good to show the extremes as examples: I've had wines made by PhD chemists whose left-brain dominance makes me look like Picasso in comparison; the wines were clean, flawless in every technical detail, and pure - but they had no character. I've also had wines made by true Picassos; the wines had tons of character, but were quite undrinkable! So, I feel a basic understanding of the scientific principles balanced with an artist's ability to conceptualize the end product long before it is ever produced is essential.
In order to maintain that balance, it is vital to hone your skills. I "practice" the art on a daily basis: tasting wines, making blends, visualizing how my wines will age and change over time and make adjustments accordingly - that's all part of the art. The science, well, I do the routine "science" of winemaking on a daily basis too: measure acidity, SO2 levels, etc. - but that isn't really "practicing." In order to really improve the science side, I try to keep up on the newest and the latest in the science and technology of winemaking; which is what I'll be doing in Portland this week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV).
Founded in 1950, ASEV is an amazing resource for pretty much all aspects of winemaking and grape growing. On the science and technology side, you have seminars given by researchers explaining their latest innovations, discoveries and theories. From a practical application standpoint you have the exhibition hall with many industry suppliers showcasing their latest equipment and gadgets that incorporate the newest innovations. For me, it's reminiscent of going to the county fair as a child: wonderous and amazing with no dearth of opportunities to learn - the only differences are that the carnies are scientists and the kids are winemakers, grape growers and industry reps that are all old enough to drink!
When I return, hopefully I'll be armed with new insights that will allow me to continue improving the wines I make. I just need to be careful to not get so entranced in the science that I lose sight of the art...
Science, though necessary (I assert) to make a good wine, must be balanced by the art and the ability of the winemaker to look at the whole rather than the parts. Both are necessary to create the best wine. In order to best illustrate, I think it is good to show the extremes as examples: I've had wines made by PhD chemists whose left-brain dominance makes me look like Picasso in comparison; the wines were clean, flawless in every technical detail, and pure - but they had no character. I've also had wines made by true Picassos; the wines had tons of character, but were quite undrinkable! So, I feel a basic understanding of the scientific principles balanced with an artist's ability to conceptualize the end product long before it is ever produced is essential.
In order to maintain that balance, it is vital to hone your skills. I "practice" the art on a daily basis: tasting wines, making blends, visualizing how my wines will age and change over time and make adjustments accordingly - that's all part of the art. The science, well, I do the routine "science" of winemaking on a daily basis too: measure acidity, SO2 levels, etc. - but that isn't really "practicing." In order to really improve the science side, I try to keep up on the newest and the latest in the science and technology of winemaking; which is what I'll be doing in Portland this week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV).
Founded in 1950, ASEV is an amazing resource for pretty much all aspects of winemaking and grape growing. On the science and technology side, you have seminars given by researchers explaining their latest innovations, discoveries and theories. From a practical application standpoint you have the exhibition hall with many industry suppliers showcasing their latest equipment and gadgets that incorporate the newest innovations. For me, it's reminiscent of going to the county fair as a child: wonderous and amazing with no dearth of opportunities to learn - the only differences are that the carnies are scientists and the kids are winemakers, grape growers and industry reps that are all old enough to drink!
When I return, hopefully I'll be armed with new insights that will allow me to continue improving the wines I make. I just need to be careful to not get so entranced in the science that I lose sight of the art...