Learning from our failures

Many years ago, I began dabbling with home winemaking. From a fruit stand in my town to bulk ordering juices, it certainly has been a wild ride to say the least. My first year of winemaking, I won an award. My second and third year? I did not. It was those failures that pushed me into studying more about wine. I wondered why my wine was not good and what made wine “good.” I come from a family of non-alcoholic beverage drinkers, so my upbringings exposed me to very little wine. So, to determine what was good and bad regarding wine was very difficult for me. Yes, it was the fact that someone did not like my homemade wine that drove me to the point of obsession. What could I have done better?

Now, at this point in the world, Google was in its infancy. Hell, I am not even sure I had a smart phone or that they even existed at that time in my life. I was not watching YouTube videos on winemaking, so I had to find a way to learn this entire winemaking process essentially without the help of the internet.

I purchased books on wine and absorbed all that I could, but it was not good enough. In my reading, I stumbled upon The Cleveland Wine School – now known as the American Wine School. I called to see if they had wine education classes and sure enough, they did. I went for my first class and was hooked. Next thing I know I am enrolled in a series of classes to prepare me for a wine certification. I also found myself volunteering at Fancy Food Shows alongside Guy Fieri and working for a chocolate company designed to pair perfectly with wine.

Though I continued to make wine, my wines never achieved critical acclaim like that first batch. Lightning in a bottle? Maybe, but could I catch it twice? But then in 2019, I made my first Sauvignon Blanc. I honestly wanted to experiment with a wine filtration system so I ordered Sauvignon Blanc juice that needed to be filtered so I could try the process out. It came out spectacular and is still my favorite homemade wine to date and the one I do not really have any more bottles to give away. Everyone loved it and wanted it. I submitted the wine for competition, and it earned an international silver medal. I then experimented with a Malbec the following year. My wife’s favorite varietal. Against my better judgement, I again filtered the wine. I know, I know. But it too came out fantastic. Nowhere near as good as the Sauvignon Blanc, but still good, nonetheless. It too earned an international silver medal.

For the following year (this year) I decided to do a trial. I wanted to make a Bordeaux blend. A Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec blend. However, I wanted to compare a glass carboy, with no aging to an oak barrel with aging.

This past fall I blended in the glass carboy, 51% Merlot with 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Malbec. After 4 months of marrying those varietals together I bottled it. Still aging in an oak barrel was my blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 1% Malbec.

My plan was to submit my glass bottled wine for this year’s competition and age the barrel until the following fall/winter (1 year) and then submit that for next year’s competition. I wanted tasting notes from the judges to help me formulate a plan for the year after.

Essentially, I wanted to learn what to do but most importantly, what not to do.

Well, the tasting notes of this year’s competition came back, and they were not good. Not good at all. However, if I am being honest, the comments were spot on. Yes, I can admit that.

How?

The same judge who felt the wine was “faulty but flavorful” also said it lacked tannin. Well, it did lack tannin, good jo, for it was aged in a glass carboy. All 3 judges described it to be “flawed” and one went as far as to say it reminded them of “soap.”

So how can you argue when 3 judges described the wine to be very similar, “faulty” and/or “flawed?”

But it is ok, I am not offended, hurt, or upset. This year’s failure was an experiment. I plan on taking these comments and next year’s comments to formulate a better product. The glass carboy and the filtration made the wine taste artificial and display no tannic foundation. Presuming the oak barrel has the opposite effect, how can I blend the two together for an exceptional vintage? That is the question and the answer I truly seek.

I view this year’s competition as an opportunity to grow. The judges hated it, great, now I know what not to do which is just as important as thinking you know what to do. This failure was a tremendous success. Next year’s may be as well, but I am building towards something great, just you watch.

Cheers