Joseph Phelps Vineyards Guest Center Adds

Two New Seminars to Hospitality Program

By Stephen Pavy

The Joseph Phelps Vineyards hospitality program is known for its informative, fun and educational wine seminars, which include blending seminars for both Insignia and Le Mistral, an “Aroma Identity” exercise, and a wine appreciation lesson.

Beginning in June, two new seminars are being added to the lineup. The “Barrel Seminar” will focus on the role of the barrel in the overall production of a wine. We will explore winemaking in general (viticulture and fermentation) and then focus in on the specific role that the barrel plays in wine production. How does the choice of French oak versus American affect the wine produced? How are barrels made? How are they used? What is the difference between light, medium, and heavy “toast”? How do you know how long to keep wine in the barrel? How does a winemaker make these choices? Hopefully, guests will come away with a much greater appreciation for the role of barrels in wine-making after taking this seminar.

Insignia is Joseph Phelps Vineyards’ benchmark wine, and we anticipate much interest in offering “The History and Terroir of Insignia.” We’ll look at Joseph Phelps Vineyards’ thirty year history of making Insignia and pose the following questions: How has the blend changed over the years? What makes Insignia so unique? What makes it so consistent? We will discuss the vineyards, look at how the grapes are evaluated to determine the composition of the wine from year to year, and finally, taste the current vintage.