Financial crisis led to ‘winemaker freedom’

The global financial crisis in 2008 was in some ways positive for winemakers as it “gave them a sense of freedom” according to Ted Lemon of California’s Littorai.

Vines being tended at Matthiasson Vineyards in Napa

Speaking during a seminar on California Chardonnay chaired by Jancis Robinson MW at In Pursuit of Balance’s inaugural London tasting, Lemon said: “After the global financial crisis nothing was selling, which gave winemakers a sense of freedom to be able to do what they wanted and really go for it.

“Wells Guthrie of Copain was one of the first winemakers in California to come out and do something different. The voices in the media are becoming more diverse and complex, which is helping the plight of In Pursuit of Balance – suddenly there is room in California for different styles of wines.”

During the seminar, Lemon admitted that he entered the wine game at a tricky time in 1993, as the style of wine he was making was at odds with consumer tastes.

Ted Lemon of Littoral

“Littorai started just as the oaky, high alcohol Chardonnay boat was leaving the dock. We were conscious of the fact that we didn’t want to make the kind of Chardonnay that was commercially successful and were wondering how we could do that and survive.

“We knew we had to stay small. Our wines were not reflective of the paradigm of what Californian Chardonnay was at the time. It will be interesting to see how In Pursuit of Balance’s stirring of the pot affects Napa Chardonnay,” he said.

Lemon picks at the lower end of the ripeness scale and part ferments his Chadonnays in stainless steel as he likes the tension it gives the wines.

Steve Matthiasson of Matthiasson Vineyards found it equally tough trying to sell his wines when he started out in 2003.

“When we started out it was impossible to sell our wines to people who had a palate for elegant and restrained wines as they had turned away from California, and those who were after 100-point wines weren’t interested either,” he said.

Matthiasson believes the ‘90s brought about a viticultural revolution in California, but also an unhealthy pursuit of over-ripeness and blockbusters.

“During the ‘90s a lot if producers started picking late and ended up making wines that all tasted the same. They didn’t want to show the terroir in their wines; they were fighting against it in pursuit of making perfect 100-point wines,” he said.

“In Pursuit of Balance has carved out a niche for wines that are a legitimate expression of California terroir. The movement is gaining ground but at the Premiere Napa Valley auction over the weekend there was a wine made with 200% new oak, which was a point of pride.

“Vintners were trying to out do each other with big wines, so that world still very much exists,” he added.