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Postmodern

Winemaking

Restoring the love affair between winemakers and wine lovers

“The single biggest problem with communication 

is the illusion that it has taken place.”

‐ George Bernard Shaw

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The practical art of connecting the human soul

to the soul of a place by rendering its grapes

into liquid music.

Today’s discussion pointsWhat is Postmodern Winemaking?

Wine’s special moral purity

The Perfect Storm: Six reasons we lie

The “M” Word, and why it has to go

A few examples of emerging technologies

Industrial vs Artisanal wines

Winemaking’s lunatic heroes

Postmodern

vs

Modern

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Modern Principles

Pursuit of over-arching universal principles

DesCartes’ rational skeptic as hero

Analytical study of component parts

Progress through knowledge & engineering

Verification through the scientific method

In wine, this obviously doesn’t work Chateau Latour is a terrible Beaujolais

Aesthetics occur at the holistic level

Great wines need complex natural systems

Lack of resources for statistical significance

Lunacy is the engine of progress

Postmodern Aesthetic Principles

Local truth

Accepting wine’s fundamental mystery

Technique over dogma (go with what works)

Evocative, original wines most people hate

Wine conceived as liquid music

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Technical Principles

Vineyard Enology

Considering the wine as a whole

Soulfulness through Aromatic Integration

Growing, extracting and building structure

Managing the ageing trajectory

Why Do Wine Lovers Feel Betrayed?1. Food and sex are generally touchy subjects

Things we put in our bodiesExpectation of consent and safety

Winemaking is just cooking:

the ultimate slow food!

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So why do we love

brewers and chefs,

but distrust winemakers?

Why Do Wine Lovers Feel Betrayed?1. Food and sex are generally touchy subjects

Things we put in our bodiesExpectation of consent and safety

2. Special to wine:Connection to a pre-technological ageLuxury goods (not really a beverage)Nothing addedFrench antecedents: specific to place

The “M” word

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ma·nip·u·la·tion (noun).

1. Treatment or operation with or as if with the hands or by mechanical means, especially in a skillful manner.

2. Shrewd or devious management by artful, unfair, or insidious means, especially to one's own advantage.

Perjorative words join together

The “N” word = black + low class

“Boy” = black + permanent child

“Manipulation” = artisan + scoundrel

one’s true identitywith inescapable disgrace.

The Simple Truth All wine is highly manipulated. Those

aren’t grapes in that glass. Get over it. No wine is as manipulated as any beer.

The Moral There is no money in this business. All winemakers have is their honor. They deserve an open, informed listening.

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“Honey, We Have To Talk…”The 30-year perfect storm that

led winemakers to clam upIncreased competitionTechnological revolutionParadigm shift in enologyA social revolution in ethicsFailure rate for technologyCritical wine review has become bloodsport

A Few Controversial Topics

Yeast Inoculation

Micro-oxygenation

Reverse osmosis

Oak chips vs. new French oak barrels

Yeast Inoculation

Any winemaker knows that the yeast manufacturers’ catalog claims are fictions.

Fermentations do not generally proceed on vineyard-borne yeasts.

Winery microbiome results in wines that all taste the same.

Allergens and carcinogens are much higher in androchthonous fermentations.

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Six Ways to Bring Enological Oxygen

• Hyper-Oxygenation: Juice stage, to remove phenolics from aromatic whites

• Macro-Oxygenation: Mid-fermentation, to promote yeast health

• Micro-Oxygenation: After dryness. Slow introduction below consumption rate

• Phase 1 Immediately after fermentation, to stabilize color

• Phase 2 Post malolactic, to refine structure

• Phase 3 Post barrel aging, to softening oak tannins

• Cliqueage: Quick blast, to polish, break reduction, and open the flavors

Chocolate Making

cocoa

harshbitternasty

butterfat&

oxygen

milk protein

&vanilla

darkchocolate

hardbitter

profound

milkchocolate

refinedplush

visceral

Cabernet Elevage

raw Cabernet

harshbitternasty

color&

oxygen

lees protein

&sweet oak

structuredCabernet

hardbitter

profound

softenedCabernet

refinedplush

visceral

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Reverse osmosis filtration

High pressure –retentate (wine)

Low pressure -permeate

Membrane

High pressure –retentate (wine)

Low pressure -permeate

Membrane

Wine Alcohol Reductionvia

Reverse Osmosis Filtration

Reverse Osmosis Filter

CHILLERDealcoholized filtrate

12% EtOH filtrate

90%ethanol

Consumer Preference

X

11 13.5 16

% Alcohol

X X

Alcohol Balance

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Figure 1"Sweet Spot" Tasting of 1999 Syrah

reduced from 18.0% ethanol

0

5

10

15.5

15.4

15.3

15.2

15.1

15.0

14.9

14.8

14.7

14.6

14.5

14.4

14.3

14.2

14.1

14.0

13.9

13.8

13.7

13.6

13.5

13.4

13.3

13.2

13.1

13.0

12.9

12.8

12.7

12.6

Syrah % v/v ethanol

Jud

ge

(n=

22)

free

ch

oic

e fr

equ

ency

Domaine Mouréou32400 MAUMUSSON LAGUIAN

FRANCE

OENODEV - BOISE Francewww.oenodev.com

Staves: 25%, Chips 75%

MERRAIN

Raw material for chips

Domaine Mouréou32400 MAUMUSSON LAGUIAN

FRANCE

OENODEV - BOISE Francewww.oenodev.com

Comparison Chips / Barrel-Staves

Inexpensive

Versatile

Space saving

No maintenance

Conserves forestresources

Negative Image

Experimental

Expensive

Inconsistent

Uncontrollable

Wastes space & labor

Wastes 200 year old trees

Image

Traditional

Complexity

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The Diversity Paradox:Why do wines all taste the same?

The Diversity Paradox:Why do wines all taste the same?

They don’t!

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We have more diversity today than ever before in history.

They don’t!

They don’t!We have more diversity today than ever before in history.

But it’s not sold in stores.

There are TWO wine industries:

(1) Mainstream commodity wines sold instores and available from distributors.

~95% of the volume, but only 1% of brands

(2) Distinctive Wines of Place.~99% of producers, but only 5% of the volume

Accessed through Destination Tourism

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Number of U.S. wineries 1972 250 2015 25,000

Number of U.S. wine distributors 1972 3,500 2015 700

McWine in stores 250 wineries over 500,000 cases Standard, expected wine styles

Chateau XYZ

Gatekeepers

Distributed Wine Sales Chain

Consumers

quality prestige

• retailers• sommeliers• critics

flavor intrinsicquality

extrinsicqualityGrowers

pedigree

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Therefore...

meansLESS value!

McWine in stores 250 wineries over 500,000 cases Standard, expected wine styles

Crazy Wine Direct to Consumer 25,000 wineries under 10,000 cases Highly diverse Compelling, innovative, unexpected

Chateau XYZ

Direct to ConsumerSales Chain

Consumers

Taste beforeyou buy

Meet the winemaker

terroir

Growersexperimentation

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How winemakers can change the world

1. Never use a technology you wouldn’t have fun bragging about.

2. Tell the real stories.

3. Full disclosure online.

4. Honor your hard work. Never claim to “do the minimum.”

• Open• Passionate• Versatile• Egocentric• Hard working• Proud• Stubborn

• Resourceful• Dedicated• Worried

• Not in it for the money !

All winemakers are:

How wine lovers can change the world

1. Focus on what is in the bottle.

2. Leave winemaking choices to the winemaker.

3. Visit your local small winery.

4. Invite honesty.

5. Honor benevolent craftsmanship.

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Thank you

for your kind attention.

WhoIsClarkSmith.com