Surprise surprise, my favorite class in high school was economics. When my instructor jokingly offered extra credit for anyone who reviewed Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations, I was the only one who took him seriously. Then I did it; I read Adam Smith and was introduced to wisdom incarnate.

Specifically, I remember being captivated by Smith's explanation of "specialization." This idea acknowledged that people have different skills, and that those skills when applied as narrow parts could create a much more beautiful and efficient whole. This understanding has permeated every part of my life, and more recently, viticulture...

The Academic: Last week I met Dennis Gray; on Sabbatical from The University of Florida. He came to our property to survey our project and I participated in his research on viticultural coursework that could and should be offered at Columbia College. His academic research back home focuses on understanding the genomic structure of Pinot Noir and developing a varietal that was naturally more resistant to powdery mildew. Brilliant.

The Vineyard Manager: AKA, horticulturalists. These are the practioners with extensive local field experience. For me, Stephen Collum and Mark Skenfield have advised our property as local vineyard consultants. They understand practical concerns like vineyard design, pest control, irrigation, etc. Perhaps these folks, of all viticultural disciplines, are the most broad based.

The Winemaker: The chemist. That's my description, and actual winemakers may see themselves differently. That said, they are responsible for everything from harvest to bottle. They mind things like brix (the sugar content of grapes), fermentation, aging, and practical matters such as bottling.

These descriptions are far too narrow to be comprehensive, and not broad enough to acknowledge other important roles such as marketing and distribution. That said, in the last 18 months I have come to develop a deep appreciation for how unique each of these roles are, while appreciating those who wear all three hats. For now, Sarah and I are focusing our efforts on vineyard management... because we're going to need a backyard anyway, and it might as well be a vineyard...

J&SK