2006-01-27
by Diana Greenwood
After
twenty-three years of contributing voice and vision to a Napa Valley
landmark winery, Beaulieu Vineyard, Joel Aiken can take some credit for
keeping a winemaking dream alive. The legendary walls – built by
Frenchman, Georges de Latour, over one hundred years ago – stand strong
today, the cellars graced by the spirit of other great winemakers like
Andre Tchelistcheff, a genius and industry mentor forever tied to BV.
But it’s Joel we think of now when we sip the majestic reds and
splendid whites for which BV is known, especially the Private Reserve
Cabernets from BV#1 and BV#2. Latour purchased these benchmark
Rutherford vineyards at the turn of the last century and they still
produce world-class wines. Linking history and opportunity, it’s Joel’s
kind of passion that drives winemaking forward.
That passion was
evident in Joel Aiken as a boy growing up in California’s Central
Valley. Exposed early to the magnificence of nature’s bounty, he was
fascinated with grape growing and wine production. This led to an
undergraduate degree in biology at the University of California, Davis;
the ideal environment for a classic education in the creative science
of winemaking. Joel received his Master’s Degree in enology in 1983.
His thesis on the chemistry of oak and oak extraction established his
reputation as an expert on the oak aging of wine. At the time Joel was
doing his extensive research, Beaulieu Vineyard was engaged in a major,
pioneering study of Cabernet Sauvignon clones with U.C. Davis. A
relationship of mutual respect developed. The research Joel later put
into practice at BV made headlines, impacting the industry throughout
the world.
Appointed Assistant Winemaker in 1982, by 1985, Joel
Aiken was Head Winemaker for BV, one of the youngest winemakers in BV’s
history, and it was he who made most of the excellent 1985-1987
vintages. In 1988, one of the world’s largest cooperage houses,
Independent Stave Company, sent Joel to France to investigate
traditional barrel building processes, from forest management to stave
production. On Joel’s advice, BV completely revamped its facility in
order to produce American oak wine barrels coopered in the French
tradition. When Andre Tchelistcheff returned to consult at BV at the
age of 89, the two kindred spirits worked together for three years,
creating new wines like Tapestry, a blend of red Bordeaux varietals,
while refining the Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
with French oak barrel aging.
In the early 1990s, Joel became the
Director of Winemaking, reinvigorating the company, bringing a sense of
continuity and consistency to Beaulieu while reinforcing Georges de
Latour’s original vision for making benchmark wines. Today he holds the
title of Vice President of Winemaking and oversees a dedicated staff
that includes Winemakers Jeffrey Stambor and Domenica Totty.
“It’s
great to be a part of a winery that has the rich history of BV and such
a tradition of innovation,” said Joel. “Georges de Latour was always
committed to quality and progress, and my mentor, Andre Tchelistcheff,
was legendary for blazing a trail in modern winemaking. That spirit of
innovation allows me to constantly challenge myself and our winemaking
team to be creative and set a high bar for excellence.”
Personable
and approachable, Joel says he looks forward to the next twenty-three
years at BV. He lives in the Napa Valley with his wife, Amy, and two
children, Mitchell, ten, and Andrew, seven. The family enjoys skiing,
tennis, and golf, and the boys’ schedules keep everyone busy. Joel is
an avid gardener and does much of the cooking at home.
Amy holds a
Masters in plant pathology from UC Santa Cruz and has worked her way
through the ranks for several prestigious Napa Valley wineries. An
accomplished winemaker, she’s recently launched her own wine called
Meander, a contraction of their sons’ names. Meander is 100% Cabernet
Sauvignon sourced from two Napa Valley vineyards. A little competition
never hurts and Joel is supportive of his wife’s endeavors, encouraging
Amy to expand her business and pursue the passion he understands so
well.
Sample the vision of Joel Aiken at Beaulieu Vineyard’s Visitor
Center. Located at 1960 St. Helena Highway in Rutherford, the winery is
open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, call
(707) 967-5233, or visit www.bvwines.com.
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