Adventures in Wine

The thing about wine is that once you start getting into it, you get really into it. There’s so much to learn about varietals, growing regions, wineries, winemaking, growing … well, see? I could go on and on. Everyone has a different story about how they got into wine. For most it starts with a really good glass of wine, and like the rapidly growing ever-hearty grapevine itself, the passion continues to grow.
If you find yourself more interested in the “how and why” of wine, there are some great programs to let you try your hand at winemaking without the expense or commitment of owning a vineyard or getting a winemaking degree.
For an in-the-vineyard experience, check out St. Supery’s Harvest Adventure in Napa Valley where you can take part in nearly all aspects of the harvest. You’ll learn how to pick grapes like a pro and you can even kick off your shoes for a little grape stomping. From there, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery, taste free-run grape juice, and sample last year’s wines aging in the barrels. You’ll learn how winemakers blend varietals and then try it yourself and take your own custom-blended wine home in a bottle.
It’s a full day that also includes a gourmet lunch with St. Supery wines. The cost is $295 per person and there are five dates in September and October that you can participate. Contact the winery to reserve a space.
If you want to fill more than just a bottle, you may want to check out a couple of Bay Area winemaking operations where, for a price, you can make several cases or even a barrel of your own wine.
Bacchus Winemaking Club on the Peninsula in San Carlos and Crushpad in San Francisco both offer custom-crush programs that take you through the winemaking process from crush to bottling. For about $11-$30 dollars a bottle, you and your friends can learn the winemaking-ropes and participate in as much, or as little of, the process as you like. The specifics of the operation are slightly different: Bacchus requires your participation in four key steps between crush and bottling; Crushpad will do as much or as little work as you like.
When we visited Bacchus for an In Wine Country story, we met several couples who were sharing the experience and the roughly $3,600 a barrel price. For them it was a chance to get their hands dirty and try living the dream of being winemakers.
My doctor brought his entire family to Bacchus and let the kids get involved making a family Zinfandel. He said it was a great experience for all of them, and their custom-made wine later turned into Christmas presents.
Another way to make your own wine without owning a vineyard or a winery is with one of Napa Valley’s most respected winemakers, Art Finklestein. The creator of Whitehall Lane Winery and Judd’s Hill winery, Finkelstein is now helping people realize their winemaking fantasies. His Judd’s Hill Microcrush will do it all, from buying the grapes (unless you have your own) to seeing them through the entire winemaking process. The fixed-fee, all-inclusive winemaking fee is not cheap, but if you’re looking for an ultra-premium wine, Judd’s Hill Microcrush has big-time experience and credentials in Wine Country. They make wine for award-winning commercial labels and individual wine lovers.
But watch out, a harmless dabble into winemaking just might turn into a second career. That’s what happened to Olympic gold medal ice skater Peggy Fleming and her husband, Dr. Greg Jenkins. They planted some Chardonnay grapes in their backyard and at first, hired Clos LaChance’s vineyard management company to tend to them. I was able to help Greg and Peggy stick labels on their first vintage, made by Clos LaChance in San Martin. They told me they wanted to give the wine as gifts and to have for themselves, but I think it’s safe to say the winemaking bug has bitten this South Bay couple pretty hard. A couple of harvests later, Greg and Peggy are now the proprietors of Fleming Jenkins Winery in Los Gatos. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer couple.
Before I send you off in search of your own winemaking adventure, a quick reminder to cast your ballot in our annual In Wine Country Golden Grape Awards. It’s a viewer poll where you tell us your favorite places to go and things to do in Wine Country. You can vote at www.inwinecountry.com. Cheers!

Mary Babbitt is the host of NBC11’s In Wine Country which airs on Sundays at 6:30 p.m.
For more information about Mary, or about the products and people featured in her column,
visit www.inwinecountry.com.