MADE NOT BORN

Inheritance is a common trope in the wine world. In France, many are born into or marry into winemaking families, and with that comes advantages like land and reputation. It is talked about less, but there are downsides to an inheritance, too, such as high taxes and the rule that property be divided equally among heirs. It is increasingly difficult to keep estates whole, which is often why domains are sold off to luxury brands or split into many smaller estates. And yet as a sommelier there is a charm to telling people that an estate has been around since the early 1700s, or that it is the fourth generation of the same family, or the vineyards themselves date back to the 12th century. This is part of the story that adds value to a wine.

But, what if you do not have this lineage? What if you are a regular person who wants to make wine, without familial connections, armed only with experience, grit and the desire to make something special?

The US has a much shorter history of winemaking than Europe. The field is nearly level for those who want to start from scratch, but it remains a long and expensive road. First you need experience – making wine with or for someone else. That is fulfilling until it is not. The lucky ones might have the means to buy a vineyard right off the bat, but in general, the first step is to purchase grapes and make wine at someone else’s winery. Over time, as the project grows, there might be an opportunity to lease rows in a vineyard and rent space at a larger facility. The eventual goal is to purchase vineyards or buy land and plant vineyards, all of which could take a long time.

The cost of making wine in this patchwork way is high, much higher than owning vines that are already producing fruit. Land, labor, space, and oak – all these things cost money, and they are all costs that go into the price of making wine when you are starting out.

It is nearly impossible to talk about winemakers who paved their own path without directly mentioning Cathy Corison. Corison studied biology and then oenology, and started making wine as soon as she had learned the science behind it. She was an intern and then a wine-maker, earning experience and growing her reputation, but it was not enough. Corison says that after being the winemaker at Chappellet throughout the 1980s, “there was a wine in my head that needed to come out: a Napa Valley Cabernet that was powerful and elegant.” She did what most do when they start from nothing: she bought grapes and barrels and custom crushed them at other wineries. She worked alone for many years, and although her wine was very well received, it still took eight years before she was able to purchase her own vines and land for her winery.

Corison’s goal was to make age-worthy and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon, but she also set the bar high for those who wish to start their own projects. Even today, winemakers and sommeliers mention her name when they speak of their inspiration.

ALL IN GOOD TIME

Inspiration can come from anywhere, and for Chris and Andrea Mullineux, it came in the granite and schist soils of Swartland near Cape Town. After years of working in France, California and South Africa, the couple were ready to start making their own wine. The story is the same: they purchased grapes and did whatever was needed to make their wine, as they did not own anything.

The wine was an instant success, but it still took several years before they were able to purchase land and vines. The problem in South Africa is the opposite of France: the vineyards are extremely large, which makes them expensive to purchase but also expensive to maintain. It’s almost necessary to have the brand and the following first, before you take the leap and make a purchase. For those who start on their own, there is no margin for error.

There are many meticulous winemakers, but Mee Godard is one that takes attention to detail to the next level. Before she became a rising star in Beaujolais, she studied wine in Oregon and France followed by hands-on work in Champagne and Burgundy. After a decade of experience, and several winemaking diplomas under her belt, she faced a different sort of hurdle. “I decided to make my own wine because I couldn’t find a job with responsibilities, and I said to myself ‘All right, if nobody wants me, I have to create my own job’,” she says.

Beaujolais is an appellation that always appealed to her, and it is also one appellation where she reasoned she would be able to purchase land. For the first four years, it was a one-woman show. She continues to do everything by hand, now with a very small amount of help, and she remains exacting and precise. Her wines are insightful and expressive, and through her success she is helping to forge the way for a new generation of winemakers in this region.

The real beauty of starting from zero is the absence of a formula. Maria Teresa of Bartolo Mascarello admits that a big part of her role is to maintain tradition and stay loyal to her father’s vision. This is part of the responsibility that comes with an inheritance. There is an expectation that the younger generation will not only take the reins but also that they will leave things mostly unchanged. It is little surprise that those who started out on their own see things differently.

Corison’s daughters both assist her now, one as a part-time worker and one as a full-time employee. When asked if the estate will be passed on to her children she says, “Yes, but only if they want to be here.” Godard agrees, saying she will only pass her project off to a family member if that person is passionate about wine. The most important thing for this generation of self-starters is to pass the estate down to someone who cares, not to keep it the same forever.

It is incredibly hard to start out on one’s own, and there are many challenges, but those who take this path remind us that wine is a passion project. A lot of careers in wine do not make sense on paper – the financial rewards are low and time investment is high. Godard sums this up nicely: “For a normal person with normal resources, you need to accept a change in the way of life and a certain form of sacrifice. It’s not an easy job, but if you like or love to work with a living matter, make transformations from grapes to wine, it can be a great adventure.” Corison adds, “You also need to be a little crazy, stubborn, and passionate. The wine business is hard.”

Rebecca Fineman is a Master Sommelier and co-founder of Ungrafted in San Francisco.