Blending
wood & wine with Presidio’s Braun
His very personal vision of bringing a European viticultural philosophy to Santa Barbara County is
wonderfully evident in wines created from grapes grown in Presidio’s estate
vineyard west of the Santa Rita Hills.
Our conversation about winemaking starts in the middle of
an industrial park in Lompoc, affectionately known in certain circles as the
“wine ghetto.” Presidio, among other vintners, practices their craft in
pared-down facilities filled with French Oak barrels that are one of the key
ingredients in making great wine.
From Braun’s point of view, the essence of winemaking
comes down to just two things: the grapes and the barrels. When I caught up
with Braun, he was discussing the essential role that the barrel plays with
visiting French cooper Sirugue, the company that
creates some of the best wine barrels in the world. The key is finding the
perfect balance.
“Our hope is that the oak bends in and out of the wine,
otherwise the wood gets in the way. For me, that’s a big part of the puzzle,”
Braun said.
So, mirroring his desire to create a seamless interplay
between wood and wine, we wove in and out of row upon row of the 2007 vintage
for an impromptu barrel tasting. What became clear was that Braun’s long career
had resulted in an intense focus on making the best wine possible in the least
intrusive way. He summed up this philosophy quite simply: “I find more and more
that the wines that intrigue me the most are the wines that are generally
manipulated the least.”
It has been a long road to this deep understanding of
paring a wine down to its essence in order to achieve the richness and
complexity that his full-flavored, unfiltered vintages deliver. A native of
California and a graduate of UC Davis, he trained at both ends of the vineyard
spectrum, from Cribari, one of the largest producers
in California, to much smaller wineries. In travels
to Europe, he developed a deep appreciation for the wines and viticultural techniques in the Northern Rhone region of
France and brought those ideas back to the valley. Eventually, he formed his
own point of view and launched Presidio Vineyard and Winery in 1991.
On 100 acres of property lying in the Santa Maria AVA (a
designated American Viticultural Area), some 30 acres
are planted in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Living on the property with
his wife, Angela, and a bounty of Labrador retrievers, Braun maintains a
hands-on familiarity with the vines. This intimate connection seems critical.
“You do what works. You do what you like and, in our
case, it turns out to be a good thing. There are plenty of vineyards to buy
fruit from, but can you buy fruit exactly the way you want it farmed? With
exactly the spacing you want; the clones; the varietals? No. Of course not,” he
said.
Further trial and experimentation led him to employ
organic and biodynamic farming practices and eschew buying grapes just to make
a volume goal.
“Growing organically and biodynamically
is really important to me, but it’s not the only key,” Braun said. “Do I think
it’s a tumbler in the combination lock? Absolutely! Yet you have to do so many
other things right as well.”
As we wound down our visit and tasted a Pinot Noir almost
ready to bottle, Braun made no secret of a personal preference.
“My absolute favorite from this vintage is the Pinot
Noir,” he said. “I think it makes a wonderful food wine. What I especially like
is that it’s rich, but there is subtleness about some of the aromatics.”
For me, I found it much harder to choose. While I was
impressed with all the wines, and the Pinot was truly stunning, I was most
taken by Braun’s passion to produce the best possible wine from the best
possible grapes. If you want to form your own opinion, you can always visit
Presidio’s Tasting Room in Solvang.
Cheese Crostada
This dish from Doug and Angela Braun has a subtle
saltiness that marries perfectly with the buttery, spicy undertones of
Presidio’s Chardonnay. Paired with the Chardonnay, it’s a sumptuous and easy
start to any meal.
10 oz Sheep’s milk Manchego
cheese, finely grated
½ cup Presidio Chardonnay wine
Salt, pepper
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 slices crusty bread, toasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 485 degrees F. Gently blend the
grated cheese into a smooth mass with the wine. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Add oregano and garlic. Drizzle the toasted
bread with olive oil and spread with cheese mixture to cover. Whisk the egg and
spread the surface of the crostadas with it. Place on
the top rack of the oven for about three minutes, until heated through and
golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh parsley to garnish and serve.