“Good wine is not about power or complexity—it’s linked to the wine’s finish and character. The wines that seduce you are the ones that stick with you.”
—Chris Howell
“A Little Bit Softer Now: Northern California winemakers tone down their approach,” Hemispheres, March 2013:
DRIVE DOWN THE BYWAYS of the Napa and Sonoma valleys at the right time of year, and you’ll pass vines heavy with glistening grapes just waiting to be turned into the big, tannic, high-alcohol wines—generally cabernets and zinfandels—that have made the region famous. These days, though, you’re also liable to spot a few vines that have been stripped of fruit early. These point up a new movement afoot in Northern California—a burgeoning faction of vintners interested in making more balanced vintages (read: less jammy, sun-ripened and strong). …
“For me, wine enhances food. I’m not one for sitting on the porch and sipping it,” says Chris Howell, who chose to plant the vines for Cain Vineyard and Winery on a mountaintop estate above Napa Valley to encourage more balance in his wines. “Good wine is not about power or complexity—it’s linked to the wine’s finish and character. The wines that seduce you are the ones that stick with you.”