Jean-Claude and I recently had the pleasure of attending the annual ARENI Live think tank in California as members of a delegation of six South Africans. Last week I reported on the second day of the think tank. Here are some impressions of the third day, Thursday the 22nd of June.
We started our day with a visit to Buena Vista Winery which is owned by the Boisset Collection, led by Jean-Charles Boisset, whom I met earlier this year. Buena Vista is the oldest property in Sonoma still operating as a winery. We had a chance to workshop some significant issues among which the question of rootstock. Is sufficient time spent on the research of rootstocks, particularly the hybrids that are more disease resistant? We looked at the diversity of genetic material and how the biome can contribute to disease resistance.
On the subject of ‘Securing the Future of Wine Tourism’ we talked about wine education and wine terminology. An important point of discussion was the need to use ‘plain’ language in order to make wine more accessible, not only to our teams but also to our guests.
On the interesting subject of ‘Authenticity, Typicity and Identity’, the discussion centred on accountability, complexity and embracing diversity.
We then had a wonderful lunch and another thought-provoking discussion ensued, this time on the importance of getting more TV airtime to communicate our goals. I cited the CNN example, ‘Behind the Scenes of South African Winemaking’, which focused on how we are harnessing science to understand nature better.
Our next stop was Raymond Vineyards and what an exceptional and unforgettable experience! Then on to Promontory for dinner with Will Harlan in the cellar. What really struck me about these famous wineries that hosted us is the distinctive character emanating from each one of them, offering an excitingly diverse winescape and tourist experience.
