I’ve been making and selling wine since 1972. Last summer, I released Postmodern Winemaking, named Wine and Spirits Magazine’s 2013 Book of the Year. My intent was to enhance dialogue between winemakers and winelovers.
The book contains fresh thinking on wine technology, wine structure, longevity, oxygen, oak barrels, modern vs traditional winemaking, the so-called Natural Wine Movement, regional character, minerality, effects of music on wine sensory perception, and the surprising nature of wine itself. It’s a challenging book to digest, so I’m eager for some Q&A with berserkers of all stripes.
February 10-14 I will have the privilege of being offered for crucifixion as your Special Wine Guest. As I told Todd French, it will greatly enhance our e-chat if you have had a chance to experience wines from my teaching brand WineSmith, made largely to demonstrate these traits.
Minerality, for example, has many meanings, as we all know. Let’s not revisit that. Instead, let us taste some wines together so I can point to how I use that term and its significance for winemaking and ageing.
I’ve selected two unusual wines that together illustrate structure, aromatic integration, micro-oxygenation, alcohol adjustment, living soil, Eurocentric style, minerality and graceful longevity. For BerserkerDay only, we are offering them at a ludicrous discount including free shipping.
I am also dealing the book dirt cheap in hopes that most participants will read it so that we can advance the discussion rather than taking time rehash its contents.
For the more adventurous, I’ve selected six-wine and twelve-wine postmodern samplers with substantial one-day-only deals.
We will ship these anywhere in the lower 48. Let the ba*****s come and get me.
Postmodern 2-Pack $59.99 with free shipping anywhere
(1) WineSmith 2006 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon
(1) WineSmith 2003 Napa Chardonnay
Postmodern Winemaking hardcover, signed by Clark Smith $30.00 including tax and shipping
Wine and Spirits Magazine’s 2013 Book of the Year
and New York Times’ Top Five Wine Books
Postmodern 6-Pack $129.99 with free shipping anywhere
(1) WineSmith 2006 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon
(1) WineSmith 2003 Napa Chardonnay
(1) WineSmith 2004 Napa “Faux Chablis” (successor to the 2003 Chardonnay)
(1) PennyFarthing 2007 Barbera
(1) PennyFarthing NV Dry Rosé
(1) Planet Pluto 2006 Meritage
Postmodern 12-Pack $299.99 plus 1¢ shipping anywhere
(1) WineSmith 2005 Napa “Crucible” (our flagship Clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon)
(1) WineSmith 2006 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon
(1) WineSmith 2003 Napa Chardonnay
(1) WineSmith 2004 Napa “Faux Chablis” (successor to the 2003 Chardonnay)
(1) WineSmith 2006 Sonoma Cabernet Franc
(1) WineSmith 2005 Fiddlestix Pinot Noir
(1) PennyFarthing 2007 Barbera
(1) PennyFarthing 2009 Santa Barbara Chardonnay
(2) PennyFarthing NV Dry Rosé
(2) Planet Pluto 2006 Meritage
One final caution concerning our February 10-14 discussion. I did not write Postmodern Winemaking to flog my own point of view. The purpose of the book is to stimulate discussion and promote openness. Many wineberserkers are highly qualified to state their own way of looking at these issues, and although some of you are not professionals, we want to hear your questions and offer a full spectrum of answers.
If we all agreed, the book would be pointless. This will be a week of open discussion like the good old days (the 1970s), and not the Gospel According to Dr. Evil.
Catch you in February!