This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
News
Master Winemaker 100: Ralf Holdenried
The director of winemaking at Napa’s Black Stallion Estate Winery tells db about his upbringing in Rheinhessen, bluegrass festivals and the one thing he would change about California.
From childhood chores in his family’s vineyard in Rheinhessen, Germany, to working with small batches of wine in Napa Valley, Ralf Holdenried has a rich, diverse mixture of experience. After studying Winemaking & Viticulture at the University of Geisenheim, he moved to California to take a degree in Fermentation Science at UC Davis, followed by an MBA. It was during this period that Holdenried became fascinated by California’s wine culture and the exciting, creative opportunities that existed here for crafting fine wine. He joined the Black Stallion Estate Winery team in 2014.
What job did you imagine yourself doing when you were seven years old?
I was a very active child. At age seven, I wanted to be a soccer or tennis star. Clearly, I discovered wine a lot later in life.
Who first led you down the winemaking career path, and how?
We had some vineyards at home in Germany – I grew up in the Rheinhessen – so winemaking was part of my upbringing. After high school, my first jobs in a winery sealed my passion to make wine. So it was my parents and the culture of the wine industry I grew up around, but also the passionate winemakers I worked with early in my career that all influenced me.
What’s the most recent lesson this job has taught you?
In the wine industry, like many others, things come and go. There is a certain circle of things repeating themselves; however, never in quite the same way – just the nuances are the same. Even though the wine world seems never-changing, having been around for thousands of years, in reality it is very dynamic.
If you were a wine, what would your back label say?
It takes a few minutes to open up, but then a friendly and fun structure emerges. Great paired with food and friends; enjoy now or over the next 10-15 years.
What’s the last book you read?
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood.
What’s the last live music performance you saw?
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. It’s held in October, when the city’s weather is best, and is headlined by incredible artists playing American roots music, from folk to rock, soul and more. It’s free and family-friendly – a really great event that’s unique to the Bay area.
Partner Content
What frustrates you most about the world of wine?
The pretentiousness some people put on when talking about wine. We need to make our wines more accessible and exciting to everyone.
Which sustainability initiative are you most proud of, and why?
The water and energy savings initiatives we implemented at the winery. With Black Stallion’s solar energy system, we’ve been able to generate the majority of the winery’s energy from a renewable source each year. In 2023, we generated approximately 85% of our energy needs via solar. We also manage the water in our vineyards very carefully – we use soil moisture probes to monitor conditions every 15 minutes. This lets us immediately adjust as needed to ensure we are maximising any rain benefits, and preserve our water resources by using very limited irrigation water throughout the year. It is important to us to conserve our natural resources as much as possible.
If you could change one thing about your wine region, what would it be?
End wildfires in California.
Which winemaker do you most admire, and why?
Marcello Monticelli has been a great mentor and inspired me with his passion for years.
What is the most pressing personal or professional ambition you’d like to fulfil?
Get fitter, lose 15 pounds and keep a healthy work-life balance.
Which missing skill do you most wish you possessed?
Playing the saxophone.
What’s your idea of a perfect holiday?
The right mix of good food, history, culture and natural beauty.
What would your final meal be? And what would you drink with it?
Beef brisket with a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon surrounded by my family – and I wouldn’t want to know it was my last meal.
Related news