I ONCE HEARD A COMEDIAN SUGGEST that the perfect thing to say to sound like an expert while swirling a glass of wine is “The rains were good that year.…” It got a laugh from everyone in the club that night, but what makes me laugh is the idea that the rains are ever simply considered “good” in any year. In 2013, for instance, there wasn’t enough rain. The 2010 rains were poorly timed. Now, in the winter of 2015-’16, erosion is a concern. Good or bad, we don’t just roll over in the mud and throw our hands up. The committed winemaker plants seeds in the mud — and prays for good weather.

WINE BUSINESS MONTHLY featured Palmaz Vineyards this month in a fascinating article regarding the complex art of cap management during fermentation.  Christian Palmaz explains how the winery’s unique thermographic system allows winemakers to understand temperature distribution inside of a fermenter.  This research has led to new understandings as to why and when certain aromas and favors extract into wine.  The full article can be seen by clicking here.

“The Science of Wine” is a monthly column by Christian Gastón Palmaz about the pursuit (and achievement) of the seamless fusion of technology, art and tradition in winemaking. 

PAY A VISIT TO Palmaz Vineyards and you’ll encounter a dazzling array of technology, but don’t be fooled — all that swanky, futuristic stuff is not what makes the wine. Like so many other technical art forms, winemaking at its core remains qualitative, creative and intimately human. At Palmaz, the art of wine still occurs in the glass, and magic happens in those quiet moments when the winemaker’s mind is open to perceiving, appreciating and harnessing what Mother Nature has given to a particular vintage.

Beginning with my time in school, I’ve been struck by the way some technology actually impinges on the ability to be creative. Learning how to code in various programming languages and toiling on spreadsheets made my brain ache. Database technologies are powerful tools, but I fell victim to spending countless hours crunching data and not enough time outside with dirt under my boots.