About the Winemaker Paul Reising
Paul Reising studied Eunology and Viticulture at UC-Davis, recognized throughout the winemaking world as the premier institution in its field and turning out some of the best winemakers in California & beyond.
If you asked him the most important thing he�s learned about winemaking, he will tell you that � winemaking is all about grape-growing � the rest is �smoke & mirrors�.�
Paul has studied advanced vineyard management practices, and is a strong advocate of organic growing and �sustainable agriculture�. He uses no chemical fertilizers and believes in neither herbicides nor insecticides in his vineyard � he believes that everything in the vineyard should be �natural�. For example, although he utilized a drip irrigation system to get the vineyard going, the vineyard is now �dry farmed�, i.e.: no water is added during the growing season. Paul believes that scientific drip irrigation has caused a sameness and blandness of a lot of the California mass produced wines, and that dry farming adds complexity to the wine. He is now experimenting with various Burgundian clones, which he thinks will add further complexity to the wine.
I addition to tending his own vineyard, he has done consulting with landscapers concerning grape growing within the Lamorinda micro-climate.
In winemaking, he is also a believer in the �natural way� � he likes to utilize natural occurring yeasts for the initial fermentation and natural malolactic bacteria for the secondary fermentation. He�s a believer in many Burgundian practices including small batch, whole berry fermentation, punching down and gentle handing. He also likes an extended pre-fermentation cold soak with as much skin contact as he can eke out. He thinks this adds flavor, complexity & color � and then he doesn�t have to over-press or use press wine to get body �and it avoids harsh tannin.
He likes to use American oak for his Zinfandel, and �Center of France� French oak for the other European Varietals � but he isn�t believer in a lot of oak flavor � he �doesn�t want the wine to taste like a � 2 by 4�.�
Paul says that his best assets in winemaking are the taste buds and critical analysis by his wife, Jackie. He says that his palate � has been ruined by too much cheap booze & cigarettes in his youth�.
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