Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/471637
46 / the tasting panel / march 2015 "The guests like to go through every aroma that is on the table, to experi- ence it for themselves, because it gives them a good idea . . . there is banana chips in wine sometimes, or green pepper or nutmeg or brown sugar," Kaufman says. "Wine can be an intimidating subject," says Brandon Jamieson, a team leader and wine educator at The Winemakers Studio, and the class can make it a lot easier. "We get mostly novices in here," he says, "but some folks bring deeper experience." Jamieson leads us over to the blend- ing room, where, again, the emphasis is on education, but the outcome is quite tangible—a custom-blended bottle of the participant's own design. There are various single vineyard Cabernets and other Bordeaux variet- ies, in barrels mounted on the wall. After discussing the characteristics and specific origin of each of the wines, all from Wente Vineyards, it's time to craft a red blend to call your own. Jamieson notes that the educators work hard to have people blend within the two- hour timeframe, since people get so engrossed in the process. "As you drink more wine and start blending it a little more, you start to bounce ideas off each other," Jamieson says. "It definitely helps the overall vibe." At the end of the class, your bottle is corked, a custom label is applied, and off you go. You can enjoy the wine after a couple of weeks or put it away to age. "We always ask what their intended purpose is," Jamieson says, "and then we can guide them to get what they want." After all, making wine is the ultimate interactive experi- ence that you can have at a winery. The studio has been welcoming reservations for just under a year, and Carolyn Wente, one of the fourth-generation winegrowers at the 132-year-old estate, has taken guests and members of the trade through the blending class as well. Previously, the family might have taken guests or associates through a blending session at fifth-generation winemaker Karl Wente's lab, where the real work takes place, but the experience was so much fun, and so enriching, they decided to take it public. "As you start tasting the wine and experiencing the blending component," Carolyn Wente says, "you really begin to understand how you need to add some of this to give it taste or structure, or this to give it more palate, or if you have too much of any one thing." "It really allows a wine appreciator to understand what a site or location can do . . . how soil and climate do make an impact. But when you put all these things together, it is about your taste, and if you step back and put yourself in the winemaker's shoes, you can better understand some of the challenges a winemaker may have. The varietals showcase the beautiful fruit, but you can put them together in so many ways." So what is it in that winemaker's artistry that elevates their wines to be the best? That's the question that you get to answer for yourself at The Winemakers Studio. Brandon Jamieson leads a blending class at The Winemakers Studio. Fourth-generation winegrower Carolyn Wente experiments in the blending room. Information about The Winemakers Studio Classes Wine Aroma Discovery Objective: To understand and identify the most common sensory descriptors of wine varietals. Duration: 60–90 minutes Price: $55 Size: Up to 10 guests Wine and Cheese Pairing Objective: To understand how certain wines interact with food. Duration: 60–90 minutes Price: $55 Size: Up to 10 guests Winemaker's Blending Experience Objective: To let guests taste and blend their own bottle of wine. Duration: 90–120 minutes Price: $125 Size: Up to 12 guests For more info, check out www.WenteWinemakers.com or call 925.456.2385.