Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/164544
PORTRAIT OF A LEGEND Winemaking should be approached with a minimalist touch and more than a good dose of modesty." —Christian Moueix Christian Moueix: In the late '60s, U.C. Davis was renowned for its viticulture program and, of course, I was attracted by the idea of California. Also, my family was close to [long-time wine importers] the Van der Voort's in San Francisco, so it was a relatively easy move for me. What was your goal in establishing Dominus? Did you see from the beginning that this property had world-class potential? My goal was to produce a top wine without the use of irrigation or acidification, two practices found quite often in Napa Valley. The Napanook Ranch was a jewel box when I visited it and I was convinced that it could produce an exceptional wine. You have said that "To make a great wine, we need great grapes, we don't need a great winemaker." What is the duty of a winemaker? A winemaker is a midwife. Winemaking is a natural process and the midwife's role is to usher nature along and avoid accidents. You have spoken about "intellectual rigor" in winemaking style. What is your philosophy of winemaking? Winemaking should be approached with a minimalist touch and more than a good dose of modesty. You use high-tech equipment such as the Vistalys Optical Sorter, which eliminate unwanted elements from the berries. How does technology fit with the idea of a hand-crafted wine? First, we spare no effort in the vineyard. Then, the Vistalys Optical Sorter allows us to select the best berries (ripeness, no sunburn, etc.). It is an improvement for the quality of the grapes. Furthermore, I would never consider using reverse osmosis which affects the quality of the wine itself. Do you feel that vintage matters as much in Napa Valley as it does in Bordeaux? Are the Napa vintages more consistent than those on the Right Bank? The vintages are more consistent in Napa basically due to the lack of rain before mid-October (with the exception of 2011). There has been damage due to heat spikes just before the harvest (for example, 2010) but the weather in Napa Valley is far more consistent than in Bordeaux. How much time do you spend in Napa and a Dominus in a typical year? Generally, I am in Napa Valley for two weeks every other month—around three months a year. Is there a place in the world right now that you feel has the potential that California had in the 1960 and '70s? Surprisingly, I have yet to discover any other region with the same potential . . . so I would still advise my friends to invest in Napa Valley. 90 / the tasting panel / september 2013 TP0913_063-103.indd 90 8/22/13 9:24 PM