There appears to be an increasingly scarce ingredient missing from practically any modern discussion about wine. Just a nudge here from this unabashed huckster of one’s values and you loyalists will not be guilty of this pervasive omission.
Why is it that we seldom see or hear the word art, as in “wine is an art?” It used to be, before wine became a mainstream beverage in the U.S. market, that wine was nearly always introduced to new customers by convincing them that by enjoying a glass of wine, they were tasting art. Probably because wine as art became too much of a marketing cliché; picture the man riding a white horse through the Italian Swiss Colony vineyard. Most Americans now ingest mostly sound bytes. The concept of wine as art takes some telling.
Also, early on in America’s wine resurgence, we were all concentrating on simply spreading the gospel...drink wine and be happy. Our wine industry is maturing, we now need to emphasize the importance of our own brand; we need to protect and grow our own nest egg. There is little time for the discussion of wine as art.
Why is wine still art?
Look up the definition of art. The old tome in my hallway has the following: “The production, or expression, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful or appealing.”
Aesthetic – “Having a sense of the beautiful involving pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality.”
You can substitute the word wine for art in my book.
So much of winegrowing and winemaking has and will continue to rely on “gut feelings” of how to produce a most beautiful wine. Relying solely on the almost unlimited supplies of wine making and grape growing technology is not enough.
Art in the Vineyard: What varietal and which rootstock to plant in the vineyard? Organic or not organic? Which trellis system to use? How to pull leaves to obtain the most efficient use of sunlight for flavor and sugar? How much and how often to irrigate or not? When to harvest?
Art in the Winery: Which yeast selections? Fermentation strategy relating to each vintage? Oak -- European, American, old, new, light or medium toasted barrels? How much time in the barrel? Filtration methods and strategies for blending?
None of these winemaking decisions can be guided solely by relying on technology, and yet it is the technology that receives most of the attention today. Not just with winemaking, but with pretty much every facet of our lives.
The creation and appreciation of any art form is a personal one, and wine is no exception. The next time you lift your glass of Gundlach Bundschu at the table to salute family and friends, and your own good fortune, remember you are relying on art to convey your sentiment.
