Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/314991
58 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } JUNE/JULY 2014 Terlato turned 80 in May and recently a group of top industry professionals gathered at the Rudd Center at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena to celebrate his life in wine. It's only fitting that the gather- ing took place at the Rudd Center, as Tony is a member of the Society of Fellows of the Culinary Institute of America, an organization that exists to enhance the excellence and reputation of the CIA. Terlato Wines is also the marketer of the Greystone Cellars wines, of which a portion of the proceeds benefits the school. The gathering also provided an opportunity to taste a vertical of ten vintages of one of the flagships of the Terlato portfolio, EPISODE. EPISODE is a Cabernet blend drawn from top Napa Valley vineyard sources. The tast- ing didn't disappoint, and I found the wines to be elegant, impeccably balanced and age- worthy regardless of vintage. Fellow MS Bob Bath, Director of the Advanced Beverage Program at the Rudd Center, agreed saying, "The consistency of the EPISODE wines in this vertical tasting was a testament to their fine winemaking and ageability. The wines consistently showed a balance of fruit, oak and ripeness, along with classic Cabernet Sauvignon tannic structure." As I finished tasting the flight two things came to mind: First, I was convinced that none of the wines had seen more than 60% new oak; second, alcohol content never EPISODE Winemaker Marisa Taylor. Tony Terlato (foreground) during the EPISODE tasting. Paul Wagner of Balzac Communications tastes in the background. Somm Journal June/July.indd 58 5/9/14 12:09 PM