Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/65124
Karl's Korner Every month, we take you inside the blog of Fifth Generation Winemaker Karl Wente, who ruminates on everything from wine to yoga. This month, we're talking about the innova- tive legacy the Wente Family has created for California Chardonnay. To hear more from Karl, visit www.wentevine- yards.com/blog. The Wente Family circa 1896. I n honor of the 100th anniversary of my great-great-grand- father bringing Chardonnay cuttings to America, Wente Vineyards will be hosting an invitation-only Chardonnay Symposium on June 18th at our historic property in Livermore, California. This event will explore all aspects of this grape variety, including its history, the dissemination of the Wente Chardonnay clone, its diversity, its expression via different winemaking techniques and more. My uncle, Fourth Generation Winegrower Philip Wente, and I will be hosting the event, with Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser serving as moderator. Several notable guests will be joining us as panelists, including renowned winemaker Greg LaFollette, Nancy Sweet, Director of the Foundation Plant Services at University of California, Davis, Chuck Hayward, Wine Educator at JJ Buckley Fine Wines and several other distinguished panelists. We're thrilled to be hosting such a watershed event. It's incredible to look back and see the growth and continued popularity of this variety in the U.S. We also recently discovered that in 1976, the Judgment of Paris featured a 1973 Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena which was com- prised largely of the Wente clone. When that wine bested some of France's most prestigious whites in a blind tast- ing, California Chardonnay plantings grew exponentially from 2,700 acres in 1970 to 11,000 acres in 1980 to 45,000 acres in 1988. Currently, there are nearly 100,000 acres of Chardonnay planted in California and it has become America's favorite varietal. Watch for our feature story on the 100th anniversary of the Wente clone in our June issue. —Ed. may 2012 / the tasting panel / 61