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Wente Vineyards
By Jonathan Mitchell
Here at Wine and Music, we are obviously passionate about both wine AND music!
When we come across someone who embodies excellence in the wine or music world, we celebrate them.
However, if we meet someone who embodies excellence in BOTH, we have to elevate them to Wine and Music Deity!
That would be Karl Wente of Wente Vineyards, the ultimate wine and music guy!
Not only is he a world-class winemaker, but also a fine guitarist, musician, and promoter of music.
At 30 years old, Karl represents the 5th generation of Wente's to be in charge of wine making at this 125 year-old Livermore Valley estate, California's oldest family-owned winery.
This self-described "flavor junkie" and "music junkie" has got serious wine chops, holding degrees in chemical engineering, horticulture, food science, and enology.
Growing up a Wente, it is no surprise he went into the business. If the name Wente rings a bell to you, it's because 70% of all chardonnay plantings you find today come from the famed "Wente Clone" that his great uncle Herman brought back from France in 1912!
Karl was also interested in music from an early age, being a fan of folk and pop music, until at UC Davis, he got turned on to Frank Zappa and Miles Davis, and went to Jazz Fest, which really opened his mind to the diversity of music. He now lists such diverse musical influences as BB King, Eric Clapton, Ludwig Von Beethoven, Miles Davis, Bruce Springsteen, the Grateful Dead, Aerosmith, Phish, Michael Franti, and Bob Dylan as well as African, Brazilian, and Carribbean music.
Not surprisingly, he makes wines from over 30 varietals and clones at Wente. He maintains they are all beautiful "in their own way". One of his stated goals is to insure that Livermore is recognized as one of the great wine regions of the world, and to that end, he sets very high standards for grape growing and wine making.
The new high-end line, dubbed "Nth Degree" is small-production, hand-crafted wine. The fruit is all hand-sorted, and the wines are aged in special barrels from around the world. There is Nth degree Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
In March, he will also release a brand new wine, Contraste, which is a joint venture between himself and Mexican winemaker Hugo Dacosta from Baja's Guadalupe Valley. Contraste is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and Tempranillo. It is made half in Mexico, half in Livermore, than blended and aged in Mexico.
But back to the music for a second, folks. One of the greatest things about this avid wine maker is that he loves to play the guitar (among other instruments). He studied with noted multi-instrumentalist Jim Hurley at Fretted Friends in Livermore. At the end of the lessons, Karl would always break out a great bottle of wine and the two would talk about, yes you guessed it, wine and music! When word started getting around, lots of local musicians would come by to "jam and sip".
Hurley taught Wente that "music theory, like wine making, was a body of knowledge one needs to assimilate completely. It's about how the 12 notes work together".
And now, every Tuesday night, at Karl's home there is a jam session in his fully-equipped studio. Wine makers come by to share their skills both on the frets and in the bottle.
Karl also promotes new artists through the Wente website. Free downloads of these new artists are available at www.wentevineyards.com/discover.
And speaking of the website, make sure to visit the site so you can learn more about the wine and the music. They have a beautiful winery and a concert series that is not to be missed!
Who knows, you might even get to hear some winemakers jam!
More Thoughts from Jonathan
Sometime around 1989, when I was just a tadpole, I bought a book called Plain Talk About Fine Wine written by the late, great Justin Meyer, Christian-Brothers-Monk-turned-winemaker, and founder of Silver Oak Cellars in Napa. I had met him a few times and was as intimidated as I was impressed. He was a highly-regarded pioneer, who made such great wines, and was humble at the same time. That WAS intimidating! His book mirrored his philosophy and was utterly inspiring to me. I attribute his work on that book as well as in the vineyards to my interest in the wine business. Anyway, as is typical of me, I never DID finish that book. Not even close. I think I got ADD at the part about the anatomy of the grapevine. :-) However, just today I did finish it, and the last two paragraphs absolutely parallel my core philosophies, and as I read them, I got goose bumps. It was as if he put those very words in my head. And I thought *I* had come up with this iconoclastic wine philosophy. The last two paragraphs of his book read as follows: "In my opinion, we have too many gurus and snobs connected with the wine business, and they've intimidated more potential wine drinkers than they've won over. In fact, the ultimate abuse occurs in the wine business when some of these people begin to believe the myths which they have used to infect the minds of the unsuspecting public. Let's get back to basics. When I started this book, I surveyed friends in the business to see what topics should be covered. The most popular, overriding theme that came back was: "Tell people to trust their own palates" "Tell people not to be intimidated by gurus, snobs, and yes, even the wine producer." "Tell people if they enjoy a wine, drink it and don't be concerned about whether or not they can articulate why they like it." Wine is like music-you may not know what is good, but you know what you like! It all gets back to PLAIN TALK ABOUT FINE WINE." That kind of creeped me out because I have been uttering almost the exact same verbiage for a while now. And thought it was MINE! Turns out Justin must have wanted some mouthpieces out there! :-) In that spirit ladies and gentlemen, raise a glass and toast to the good life. And drinking what you like!!! :-) Cheers Jonathan
Try Chalk Hill 2002 Estate Bottled Chardonnay with the Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong Album
By Jonathan Mitchell
From up in the most northern part of Sonoma, this is an excellent example of California's splendid white wine tradition. Winemaker Steven "Buzz" Leveque has created a cool-climate chardonnay that is at once rich and robust, yet racy and balanced.
This wine boasts citrus, stone fruit and wild floral notes. Richly satisfying and refreshingly balanced. Rated 89 by Wine Spectator, and carries a price tag of $38.99 The duet between Ella and Louis is timeless and will never be duplicated. Try this wine and music special pairing and write me with your comments at sommelier@wineandmuic.com
To Listen To or Purchase Music Click Here
Sting and 2003 Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah
by Jonathan Mitchel
When Sting's "Nothing Like the Sun"
This album is an eclectic collection of songs, from the Reggae-soaked "Englishman in New York" and "History Will Teach Us Nothing" to the flamenco-tinged "Fragile." And the bluesy "Rock Steady" to the intensely serene "They Dance Alone," then to the Motown party feel of "We'll Be Together" - you just will NOT get bored with this album.
As the first track gets underway, go ahead and pull the cork on one of Australia's most stellar Syrahs - Clarendon Hills 2003 Hickinbotham Syrah. (At times they call it Syrah, sometimes Shiraz, but don't let it confuse you, it's the same thing!) With the first sip of this blockbuster wine, you know you are in good company. It is very peppery and spicy, with a hint of smoky leather balancing out the intense black fruit characteristics, much like the music you are listening to, smooth yet complex. The massive finish goes on and on, like the hooks in Sting's songs, echoing in your head for hours after the music ends.
Clarendon Hills is one of the most respected names in the business, focusing on dry-farmed, hand-harvested, very limited production wines that are deeply colored and super extracted. Their Astralis is one of the only "cult wines" from Australia, with a 100-point rating from Robert Parker/Wine Advocate, and a $300 price tag! The Hickinbotham series is from forty year old vines in the Onkaparinga Valley, and is priced at a mere $79.00. The wines are unrefined and unfiltered which give added color, intensity, and unique character, not unlike Sting's trademark raspy voice. So pick 'em up, pop it in, pull the cork, and enjoy the ride!
To Purchase This Wine Click Here