December 13, 2024

Episode #765 – Daring Boutique Winemaker Asks, “Is it OK to Tone Down Tech Talk and Favor Flavor?”

For more than 50 years, American wine enthusiasts and everyday drinkers have been divided into two opposing camps: those who use tech talk and wine industry jargon to describe what’s in their glass vs those who prefer to describe their wine as “delicious.”  A few days ago, a very daring boutique winemaker in the Santa Ynez Valley, California, decided that he was going to pose this question to his social media friends and followers. His name is Larry Schaeffer, and he is the owner and winemaker of Tercero Wines. When Grape Encounters host David Wilson spotted Larry’s post on Facebook, he wasted no time contacting this highly respected winemaker, a colleague, and a friend. David immediately picked up the phone and dialed Larry’s California phone number from his home in Italy in the middle of the night. Why the urgency, you may ask? You can easily guess if you’re a long-time listener of grape encounters. It’s because Larry’s is literally the foundation of the program. Nearly 16 years ago, David launched the show because he had grown tired of the overuse and misuse of jargon and sometimes ridiculous tasting notes.

24 hours later, Larry and David were on the line together, sharing thoughts that will undoubtedly make some wine geeks and pretentious types feel a bit uneasy—OK, more than a bit. but maybe, just maybe, we are living in different times. And perhaps attitudes are changing, as evidenced by the large number of industry folks who left comments on Larry’s post that are surprisingly supportive of focusing on flavor and toning down the tech talk. If you’re someone who’s put off by the person at the tasting room bar who cares more about soil composition and the direction the vines are planted than just how good the wine goes down, this is definitely an episode that you don’t want to miss!

This edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine and More!  Find what you love and love what you find at Total Wine.  Total Wine and More is Grape Encounters’ hands down, all-time favorite choice for all your wine, spirit, beer, and accessories!

 

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