Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/5037
20 / the tasting panel / december 2009 A s the President of 19 Television, Nigel Lythgoe has transformed America's opinion of dance, from hip hop to the fox trot, through his hit Fox network television show that features up-and-coming young dance talent. Lythgoe himself began his career as a dancer for "The Young Genera- tion" in 1968 in the U.K. He pro- gressed to choreograph some of the best talent ever, including Chita Rivera, Ben Vereen and the legend- ary Gene Kelly. THE TASTING PANEL: Now that you are on top of things in the TV business, how do you see yourself placed in the wine world? Nigel Lythgoe: Well, I know what I am doing in TV produc- tion. With Villa San-Juliette and owning a winery, I see myself tap dancing. I am still familiar- izing myself with wines, with the business side of it. I guess, just like tap dancing, we have to keep buyers [and consumers] interested; we have to be light on our feet. Thank goodness we have a won- derful winemaker [Adam Lazarre]. TP: Was Paso Robles your first choice as the site for your vineyards? NL: No. But originally it was a choice based on value-for-money. Everything in Napa was ridiculously priced, and believe me, I was reading up on it all. TP: Now that you look back three and a half years, how do you think Paso has changed? NL: Well, it's still a bit under-ex- posed. But tasting the wines from this up-and-coming region, and under- standing the terroir and its potential, there's no reason the wines shouldn't be as good as those from France. TP: Describe some of your wines in dance terms. NL: The Villa San-Juliette 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is made in a New Zealand style: chalky, green grass and an explosion of grapefruit and melon. I would compare it to an edgy hip hop routine. Our Villa San-Ju- liette Chorum is named for a word that denotes the "coming together of a select group of voices." We feel this is the perfect word to describe the essence of this exceptional wine: a coming together of our finest lots. It is a reserve in the truest sense, and I would compare its elegance to ballroom dancing. Ken Warwick (left) and Nigel Lythgoe tapping out their 16-acre vineyard in Pleasant Valley area of San Miguel, just north of Paso Robles. Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick know how to make a hit TV show, including American Idol. Now, they are co-producing some great juice near Paso Robles at Villa San-Juliette. THE TASTING PANEL's Meridith May had the opportunity to talk with So You Think You Can Dance exec producer Nigel Lythgoe during his busy taping schedule, about the Choreography of Winemaking