Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/935769
54 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 { terroir } TO MOST PEOPLE, "terroir" means the vineyard: its specific physical attributes, elevation, water pooling, degree of sun ex- posure, breezes, and types of soil composi- tion. All of these characteristics work in tandem to make wine a unique expression of its site. Moving beyond physical terroir, Tyler Thomas, Wine - maker at Dierberg and Star Lane vineyards, focuses on a category less visible but nonetheless equally important: the people behind the wines. Coining this realm as "human terroir," Thomas believes every person involved in the pro - duction of a wine directly af- fects its character. The SOMM Journal sat down with him at the Star Lane Estate in Santa Barbara's Happy Canyon AVA to discuss the concept. At Dierberg, everyone on the winery team—be that a six-week intern, seasonal enologist, or long-term employee—gets harvest goals, which Thomas says epitomiz - es how much of a "collaborative endeavor" winemaking truly is. "Part of sustainability is how you treat your people: How do we set each other up for success? That's our ethos," Thomas says. "Great wine is not just about what it tastes like—it's about doing things greatly." For Thomas, that extends to even the most far-flung part of a winery in terms of production: its tasting room. "If you can't give a hospitable experience in the tasting room, that will affect how your customer perceives the wine," he explains. "You may not have made one single decision in the winemaking or the grape-growing processes, but the way you share the wine influences the consumer. It seems abstract, but it's really a long-term vision." ("Long term" is a bit of an understatement for owners Jim and Mary Dierberg, who set goals extending as far as 250 years into the future when they founded their Star Lane estate.) The concept of creating and marketing a site-driven wine can seem old hat to sommeliers, let alone consumers, Thomas says, but exploring the human elements of wine production can serve as an effective entry point for the discussion. "We are not machines in how we taste wine," he adds. "Consumers consider price point, power of suggestion—there's a psychological overlay to the physiological experience with your palate." While combining the physical and personal into one shared notion of terroir can seem like a daunting task, Thomas says its raised a collective awareness at both Dierberg and Star Lane that they're "creating (their) own history." "How do we interpret our Happy Canyon fruit in relation to the archetype of Cabernet or Pinot? In our winery's infancy, does the consumer or sommelier care? Probably not," Thomas admits. "But in 50 years, will it matter that the wine came from Star Lane? Absolutely." A Shift from Physical to Personal TYLER THOMAS OF DIERBERG AND STAR LANE VINEYARDS HELPS BROADEN THE DISCUSSION OF TERROIR TO RECOGNIZE THE HUMAN SIDE OF WINE PRODUCTION by Michael Cervin PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAR LANE VINEYARD Tyler Thomas, Winemaker at Dierberg and Star Lane vineyards, stresses the importance of "human terroir." Star Lane Vineyard in Santa Barbara's Happy Canyon AVA.