Biodynamic Wine and Clos de la Coulee de Serrant

I first came across the name Coulee de Serrant in the Wine Bible - it is lauded as one of the pioneers of biodynamic wine-making in the world. I wasn't sure what "biodynamic" means or what biodynamic wines taste like, so I did a little research on biodynamics and Coulee de Serrant.

What does biodynamic mean? 

According to Wine Folly, biodynamic viticulture "is the practice of balancing this resonance between vine, man, earth and stars." Gee, this sounds more like the mantra of a Portlandian Yoga master than a wine-growing technique. After reading through the article and a few more hits from Google, I concluded that biodynamics more closely resembles a philosophy and way of life than a scientific study. Biodynamics practitioners believe that wine growers should coexist harmoniously with the land, the water, and the vines. Any use of artificial chemicals from fertilizing the soil to getting rid of weeds and bugs to increasing the shelf life of wines is strictly prohibited. The grapes should be grown and harvested in the most "natural" way, and made with ultimate care and passion. There is even a "biodynamic calendar" that categorizes days by Fruit, Root, Leaf, and Flower Days, each representing the optimal day to harvest, prune, water, and do nothing in the vineyard. (1)

What is Coulee de Serrant? 

Coulee de Serrant is a vineyard and appellation of its own in Savennieres, which is in turn a region and appellation in the Aujou-Saumur region in Loire Valley, France. The history of Coulee de Serrant goes back to the 12th century, when Cisterian monks first started growing grapes on the picturesque slopes situated by the Loire river. The current owner, Nicolas Joly, took over the vineyard from his family in 1977, and started implementing biodynamic farming in the early 1980s. Since then, no synthetic chemical products or pesticides have ever been used on the property. (2)

Savennieres is known for its zesty and refreshing white wine made from Chenin Blanc, with distinctive notes of honey, white flowers, lime, and a balanced dose of earthiness. Coulee de Serrant is also made with Chenin Blanc, but with a drastically different profile. The grapes are harvested with botrytis infection (a desired fungus that increases sugar concentration in grapes) but fermented in a dry style. Due to Joly's distrust of modern techniques and additives, his wines are made in an "oxidized" style that shows characters such as golden color and jammy fruit flavors. The wines should be decanted or aired extensively (sometimes up to days) for optimal flavor profile. 

So... What does it taste like?

I've never tried a bottle of Coulee de Serrant (it retails at $100+), but I am very much looking forward to. That said, there are clearly lovers as well as opponents of Joly's winemaking style out there. This post from GuildSomm laments the deteriorating quality of Joly's wines and argues that the bottles really should not be worth that much. In the comments section there are several well-argued posts in support of the criticism, although there are also dissenters who enjoyed the wines very much (..."I got a really rich bouquet of bees wax and honey..the next 2 hours lovely lemon zest..." (3)). I guess the jury is still out on biodynamic wines - I'll have to try a bottle some day to be the judge myself! 

Sources:

(1) Wine Folly website, "Getting into Biodynamic Wine" http://winefolly.com/review/biodynamic-wine-guide/

(2) Vineyards of the Coulee de Serrant website, https://coulee-de-serrant.com/en/home/

(3) GuildSomm, "Nicholas Joly and Oxidization as a Winemaking Style", https://www.guildsomm.com/4cb697f52c/discussion_forums/f/general-discussion/1608/nicolas-joly-and-oxidization-as-winemaking-a-style

From Sake to Wine

Last summer, I interned at a Sake company in Japan, helping the company develop marketing strategies for the U.S.. Through this internship, I was fascinated by the intricacies of the alcoholic beverage industry in the U.S., from the ever-changing consumer taste to the three-tiered system, marketers in this industry faced extra challenge, which brought out amazing creativity. That summer, I fell in love with the art of sake, and I decided to learn more about the wine industry in general.

By taking this course, I want to develop a better understanding of all aspects of wine. I want to learn to appreciate wine from a whole new perspective. This means knowing the taste profile of different wines from regions all over the world, understanding the facets of the wine industry, from supply chain, marketing, to long-term trends that brought the bottles to my local grocery stores. The history of wine is almost as old as civilization itself, and learning about wine satisfies my curiosity about this world. Lastly, I made a lot of new friends in Japan through sake, and I hope to connect with more people through wine.

Wine-ing and Dining

I decided to take Global Dynamics of the Wine Industry in order to gain experience that complements my background in food, allows me to gain knowledge and expertise on working in a regulated industry and edifies my personal knowledge on wine. I also love beverages of all kinds, specifically coffee, tea, nut milks, kombucha, sparkling water and wine. I really enjoy the ritual of drinking beverages throughout the day and how drinking a beverage can set the tone for your day (a latte in the morning, an afternoon tea, a La Croix during class, kombucha after a workout, wine with dinner, etc). 

As a professional in the food space I've been consistently interested in understanding the similarities and dissimilarities between the supply chain for a specialty food importer (my last company) versus a wine brand. This stems from an interest and passion for agricultural products and functional foods. Though wine, grapes and raisins are sold and marketed very differently, I am compelled to understand the differences that create distinctly different end products from the same seeds.

From a personal standpoint I have frequently dreamt of playing the role of sommelier to friends and family. I want to be able to pick a nice wine off a list to drink alongside a beautiful dinner and to be the friend that always brings a great bottle of wine to a party. 

Lastly, and perhaps the reason why the class is most appealing to me, I would like to gain a better sense of how to navigate working in an industry that has a lot of regulations. Together, with another MBA 1, I am working on a beverage concept in the cannabis business space. Long term, I believe that the sale of cannabis products will closely resemble alcohol with regard to regulation. As result, I think there is a lot to learn from wine, particularly how it is distributed and marketed that could lend a significant amount of insight into building my business.

Super excited to expand my wine expertise with great people over this quarter!

With Love, Jess

Turning Whiskey Into Wine

I spent the two years between undergrad and GSB working at Kings County Distillery, New York City’s oldest operating distillery. I learned all about malting and mash bills, fermenting and distilling and everything in between. I could wax poetic about moonshine and bourbon, and I gave distillery tours to beginners and professionals alike.

However, I never learned about wine or beer.

Many people were dismayed with my asymmetry of knowledge. How could I easily describe the different geographies of whisk(e)y making, but know next to nothing about other types of alcohol? When it came to wine, in particular, all that I could do was say what I liked and did not like once I tasted it.

From my perspective, the wine world seemed much more challenging to get into than the whiskey//spirits world—there seemed to be an almost exclusive culture about it, which was intimidating, even for someone who worked in the industry. Of course, much of this was in my head, and I’ve resolved to learn much more about wine. It feels like a life skill.

Fluency in any sort of language makes you a more textured character. As an undergrad English major, I have a deep affinity for language, and I’m excited to learn how to put words to what I taste. In particular, I’m highly value precision and accuracy of language, and this class seems like a helpful opportunity to engage in that dynamic.

Plus, this kind of stuff is fun. Why else would I have spent two years being the least cool person in a very cool craft whiskey distillery?

The Wine King of Trittenheim

My interest in wine (real wine...I'm looking at you Barefoot Bubbly) can be attributed to my parents, particularly my father. And when I say they love wine, I mean it. My dad was crowned the "Wine King" of Trittenheim, Germany during their annual wine festival (as an American). 

I spent many afternoons growing up sampling grape juice and running through vineyards, and eventually, sampling the fermented kind myself on afternoon winery trips. Wine was featured prominently at the dinner table. And these days when I visit home, I most look forward to my time in the kitchen with my parents, helping with dinner, and of course, enjoying a glass (or two...or three...) of wine. 

Consequently, wine has become a small hobby of mine. There are always new tastes to discover, new ways to pair it with food, new wineries to visit. It satisfies the history nerd, the foodie, and the artist in me. Most importantly, however, it's a hobby best shared with friends.

Why this class then? Besides the obvious answer (I love wine), I'm excited to learn about the business of wine. Visiting a little local winery doesn't explain how and why Kendall Jackson has been featured prominently on about every shelf and every restaurant menu I've ever perused. It doesn't explain where the market is going (more consolidation?) or what it looks like, financially, to grow, process, bottle, and distribute wines. Ultimately, I'm looking to build a better background understanding of the industry itself. Perhaps, it'll spark a desire to get involved in the business i(now or in the faraway future). But certainly, it'll provide a better intellectual foundation for my continued discovery and enjoyment of the world of wine.

Cheers!

Making Something Out of Nothing

With my background producing concerts and managing artists for 10 years, I'm adept at hustling things into existence out of sheer force of will.  Nothing about music or art has a clear roadmap, and often there's a gap in vision and understanding between the creative team and their funders, or worse, their audience!  Sometimes, it takes just the right descriptive turn of phrase to bridge the gap between these groups.  Finding that phrase, telling your story, and enchanting your audience—these skills are the currency that separates successful cultural impresarios from poor, starving artists.

It has struck me over the years that the wine industry is also buoyed by the stories that surround it.  Upon acquiring a beloved bottle direct from the vintner, who hasn't delighted in sharing the tale of its purchase during a subsequent dinner party?  Does the taste of the wine rely on the beauty of the estate, or the charm of the winemaker, or the story of the Italian great grandfather who brought the vine trimmings over from Tuscany in a coffee can as he escaped the war (it doesn't even matter which one)?  Probably not!  But it all adds to the enjoyment of the wine, the socialization around it, and ultimately the rituals that surround the sale, purchase, and consumption of this beloved cultural good.

My goal in taking this course is to get to the bottom of how these stories are created.  In particular: how wine brands are crafted and conveyed to consumers, how distinctions between wine regions become more pronounced, and how the language around tasting conveys the satisfaction of the experience of drinking.  I suspect I may be able to transfer most of these lessons back to the music business.  I've seen first-hand the tragedy of a beautiful work of art laid to waste by an audience too unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or unprepared to enjoy it.  Let's work together this quarter to save future delicious creations from going down the drain.

Excited to learn

My interest in this class stems primarily from a personal interest in wine. The more I know about the wine I'm drinking, and wine in general, the more I enjoy it. This class gives me the opportunity to not only learn more about wine and how to taste it, but also the global industry that produces it.

Growing up in the Bay Area allowed me to visit Napa with relative frequency. Every time I visited a winery, I was struck by the sheer number of decisions that go into creating a vintage and the nuance in taste that each of these decisions can create. I see this as a commonality across many forms of art - taking a process and pouring intense focus and effort into fine tuning every part of that process to create a work of art.

I've also been struck by the variation in the process - from mass producers to organic producers to fine "ultra-premium" producers. Each of these production methods has a tangible impact on the taste and on the emotional experience a consumer has with the wine. The summer before school I did a champagne tasting tour in France, and was surprised by the impact of seeing the facilities had on my experience with each champagne. Seeing the large champagne houses of fancy labels actually detracted from my enjoyment - seeing how automated their process had become detracted from my experience with the wine. On the other hand, the image of the family who still turn the champagne bottles by hand and have run this champagne house for generations stuck in my mind with every taste and greatly enhanced my experience with the wine.

I am eager to learn more about the industry as a whole, and cannot wait to see how this new understanding helps my appreciation of wine evolve.