The Grape Debate 2014 - Is wine made in the vineyard or in the winery?

1 MIN | February 05, 2014

Every wine is unique in some way. Some would attribute these distinctive qualities to terroir, while others would consider them to be a reflection of a winemaker’s style. Vineyard location and weather during the growing season certainly impact the grapes in many ways, but the winemaker’s attention to detail and signature techniques may also have significant effects on the final product. Is the importance of terroir overstated? Are talented winemakers undervalued? And where do vineyard managers fit into all of this? Our panel of wine experts debate whether great wines are grown—or made.Moderator - DJ Kearney, BA’84 – Wine Educator, Wine Writer, Judge, Presenter & Chef
Vineyard - Sid Cross, LLB’62 – Bon Vivant
Vineyard - David Scholefield, BA’75 – VP Wine Strategy, Trialto Wine Group; Wine Advisor, Okanagan Crush Pad
Vineyard - Val Tait – Co-Owner & General Manager, Bench 1775 Winery
Winery - Kathy Malone – Winemaker, Hillside Winery
Winery - Howard Soon, BSc’74 – Master Winemaker, Sandhill
Winery - Ann Sperling, BSc(Agr)’84 - Viticulturalist & Winemaker, Sperling Vineyards