Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/488317
THE MESSAGE 18 / the tasting panel / april 2015 THE MESSAGE T here's a table inside a Vietnamese restaurant, surrounded by American Wine & Spirits reps, topped with bottles and glasses of Domaine Schlumberger wines in various states of emptiness. The brand's Export Manager Thomas Schlumberger is in the center of the dining throng, affably breaking down the historic context that under- scores pairing a glass of the winery's Reisling Grand Cru Saering 2012 with a bowl of pho. It is quite clear that he is completely in his element. It's also a pretty impressive showing for someone who initially wasn't planning on going into the business of viticulture. According to Schlumberger, he was moving up in the perfume industry when his uncle approached him and asked if he would consider getting involved with the family business; one that had started six generations prior back in 1810. "It was a tough decision for me to make at the time," he says, "but looking back, it was the best decision I have ever made." The confidence that Schlumberger has in his career choice is especially clear when he discusses the traditions of the winery, which are virtually as rich as the four Grand Crus that are part of its dizzyingly sloping terroir. He is particularly enthused about the winery's use of horses to plough the steeply terraced vineyards, a practice that has been deployed for over a century. "We use the Franc-Comtois horse breed because it's the only breed of horse that doesn't suffer from vertigo," he says with a beaming smile. "They are reliable, hardworking animals. More importantly, they're like family members to us." The horses, along with other long- standing tactics like the utilization of Roman-style masonry to protect the vineyards from erosion, have allowed the winery to receive plaudits for being a sustainable, biodynamic winery. It is a designation that Schlumberger finds somewhat amusing. "We are considered to be part of this biodynamic movement, which is a relatively new thing," he states. "But really, we're not doing anything new in order to achieve that designation. We're just doing the same things that we've always done to make great wine." Schlumberger is well aware that the winery's success in the American market is tied to getting consumers to see the winery's brilliance beyond its history and horses. "It's important that we educate customers on the varietals that we produce," he says. "People here don't necessarily think, 'I want to have a Reisling with dinner.' We need to work on changing that thought process." And in this case, a change of thought process is a good thing. Reisling with pho totally works.—Rich Manning A Stable Career DOMAINE SCHLUMBERGER'S THOMAS SCHLUMBERGER MAINTAINS A FAMILY TRADITION Thomas Schlumberger was in the perfume industry before a family member convinced him to get involved with the Domaines Schlumberger winery. Left to right: Thomas Schlumberger, Export Manager of Domaines Schlumberger, and Matt Paliferri, Advanced WSET, American Wine & Spirits Domaine Schlumberger's terroir includes four Grand Cru regions.