Winemaker Interview: Brian Vitek of Carlsbad Coastal Winery
Brian Vitek
Many folks in the wine industry have a full-time job in addition to their responsibilities at the winery they either run or own. But, unlike others with this level of involvement, Brian Vitek of Carlsbad Coastal Winery is not content to stand on the sidelines and miss all of the action. Here he shares some thoughts about what it takes to be an executive, winery co-owner and winemaker, all at once.
Lindi Kauer: Do you have any winery traditions, crush traditions or events that you are particularly fond of?
Brian Vitek: This year we are celebrating our 7th Annual Grape Stomp and Crush Party. It started years ago at my house and now hundreds of people attend, it’s our biggest event of the year. I only let women and children in the grapes and everyone traditionally washes their feet in vodka before commencing in the stomp. This year it takes place on October 11th on the Cal State San Marcos Campus.
We also have an old fashioned crawfish boil in April and a Winter Luau in late November where we put three tons of sand two inches deep in the winery!
LK: What are some practices in the vineyard and in the winery which set you apart or which you are particularly proud of?
BV: We contract with vineyards throughout Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles and other Northern California and Central Coast AVA’s. All are long-term contracts with growers who grow fruit for medals, not for tons per acre (there are many farmers who treat grapes like a crop that they sell at a per pound rate. The acreage is over-producing, lackluster fruit that is over-watered and mistreated). We meet with our growers multiple times throughout the year.
These growers are only interested in making the best possible fruit and will do whatever it takes to produce it. For example, our cabernet and petite sirah grapes come from Allegresse Vineyards in Paso Robles. The winemaker and grower Jan Pierini is only interested in premium grapes. A normal vineyard will produce between 8 and 12 tons per acre. Jan’s vineyard produces 3 tons an acre of perfectly clustered strong bunches of grapes.
This leads me into winemaking and my philosophies. Winemaking becomes very simple if you start with a good foundation, and that’s where these strong relationships with the growers come in. As long as there is zero degrees of separation between the winemaker and the vineyard there should be no changes in the winemaking program. If the fruit is strong and balanced it will tell you what type of wine it will make. Once the winemaker identifies that, then we just add a solid good strain of yeast and some yeast nutrient. The only real decisions to be made are when to pick, how to crush, fermentation management (temps and cap), when and if to press, how to barrel and blend, then finally when to bottle. The real trick is to find those great, consistent growers who won’t let you down.
LK: What would you be drinking right now if you weren’t drinking your OWN wines?
BV: Gary Farrell pinot noir or zinfandel. Pride Mountain Vineyards syrah or cabernet.
LK: To you, is wine more art or science? What about that do you love?
BV: Art with a touch of science for safety. Like I stated before, the grapes will tell me what they want to do, I just remove the obstacles. Hands on winemaking is the only way to go. I believe that those micro flavors are lost in technology. Over adjusting the wine creates too many inconsistencies.
LK: Other wineries or winemakers you admire?
BV: Pride Winery, Gary Farrell, and Garretson Wine Company.
LK: What is your favorite food and wine pairing?
BV: Kind of a sell out, but nothing beats a filet mignon with reserve cabernet.
LK: If you weren’t a winemaker (or in the wine industry), what would you be?
BV: Well, I’ve always worked in politics so I’d probably be working there in some sort of way. The name of our blend ‘Mellow Apathy’ comes from the way I would describe many of the people I worked with in that field.
Please visit Carlsbad Coastal Winery’s website or their profile on AmericanWinery.com for more information or to purchase their wine.
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