The World of Consistency and Dependability

An Interview with Erik Olsen, Winemaker, Clos du Bois

EDITORS’ NOTE Erik Olsen’s techni- in the very best appellations and grower relations teams in the busi- cal training in began at of sonoma county for these . ness. we are perpetually working with our growers U.C. Davis, where he graduated with carefully matching to place to to assure that all the things that need to be done in a B.S. in Enology and Viticulture. showcase each of sonoma’s unique the are done well to give us the fl avors He went on to earn an M.S. in Food growing regions, the sourcing for each that we look forward to each year. Science from Cornell University and of the varietals in the sonoma reserve the other component is doing things in a an M.B.A. from the University of tier is strategically chosen to express controlled way. i’m a fanatic about effi ciency Washington, combining a rare back- the unique characteristics of that spe- and having people very clear on what their roles ground of both technical and business cifi c – cabernet and merlot from are in the winery. we’re very particular about training with the intuition and cre- the alexander valley, pinot noir from how the are pressed, how we do our ativity of a born winemaker. For more sonoma coast, and chardonnay from fermentation, everything on up to blending. than two decades, Erik has crafted russian river valley. How important is sustainable agriculture balanced, fl avorful, and award-win- Erik Olsen the fi nal and top tier of the clos and environmental responsibility to you? ning wine at some of California and du bois product line is our proprietary environmental responsibility has always Washington State’s most prestigious wineries. Since series, which represents only one percent of been a part of the culture at clos du bois. since joining Sonoma, California winery Clos du Bois in our total production. this is the cream of the 2001, we’ve been certifi ed as a green business 2003, Olsen’s hands-on approach has been instru- crop, and includes three proprietary-named level ii and, in 2003, we received the Fish Friendly mental in ensuring quality at all levels. wines: marlstone, briarcrest, and calcaire. Farming outstanding land steward award for marlstone was the fi rst bordeaux blend ever our sustainability practices in the vineyard. COMPANY BRIEF Clos du Bois produced its made in sonoma county. sourced from alexander well over 90 percent of solid waste pro- fi rst in 1974 from 520 acres of grapes in valley, this blend includes cabernet sauvignon, duced at the winery, including grape-processing Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. Since that merlot, malbec, and cabernet franc. the goal with waste, is composted and mixed into the soil that time, Clos du Bois (www.closdubois.com) has the marlstone is to craft a wine each year that feeds the vines on our estate. our energy ef- become one of the region’s most renowned win- showcases the very best of what that vintage has fi ciency initiatives, including motion-censored eries, famous for elegant, soft, and approach- to offer. it’s the style we’re known for, which is full lights throughout the winery, save a tremendous able wines. The name reportedly originates from tannins, nice ripe fl avors, and real approachability, amount of electricity, while our drip irrigation the plan of founder Frank Woods to name the as well as complexity and elegance. used throughout the vineyards drastically reduces new winery “Woods Vineyard.” His children, briarcrest is 100 percent cabernet sauvi- our water usage. it’s all about being cognizant of who were studying French at the time, suggested gnon. Filled with black fruit character and lico- how important the environment is to us when the more romantic Clos du Bois instead, which rice notes, this wine is a blending of the best making our wine both today and in the future. loosely translates to “enclosure in the woods.” cabernet lots from top vineyard sites across What are you most focused on in 2010 to alexander valley. after personally inspecting maintain the brand’s leadership position? Can you give a brief overview of the range the grapes for fl avor and character during har- the number one thing is to stay true to what of products that you offer? vest, only the top one percent makes the cut. the brand is recognized for: being very consistent clos du bois is one of the most recognized beyond the vineyard, each lot of grapes is hand- and having an approachable style. we do that by wine brands in america today. ninety-fi ve per- harvested, hand-sorted, and vinifi ed separately paying close attention to the vineyards and mak- cent of our production falls under our popular so the ultimate expression can be nurtured and ing sure the grapes are grown in the right way to classics tier, a collection of varietal wines perfect tracked. our goal with the fi nal blend is to re- give us the fl avors we are looking for. for everyday drinking and celebrating. our north ally showcase the quality and personality of we also want to maintain our leadership coast chardonnay is the most well-known wine alexander valley cabernet sauvignon. in chardonnay. we’re the number-one super in this tier, followed by our cabernet and mer- For the calcaire, which is 100 percent char- premium chardonnay on the market today, lot. with the classics, we are focused on making donnay, we look at the elite growers and very best and we have continued to keep up our quality wines that are refi ned yet approachable, vibrant sites within the russian river valley to get a wine through a hands-on ethic in the winery. even in terms of fruit character, and soft when it comes that is extremely elegant and refi ned, almost re- though chardonnay is our largest production to tannin structure. we are also looking for out- strained in a way, and that is designed for cellaring varietal, there is still a tremendous amount of standing value and consistent quality with the so you can enjoy the benefi ts of aging. calcaire small-lot winemaking techniques taking place classics. these are wines that people have come has the nice citrus notes and bright apple charac- that ultimately refl ect a superior quality wine. to enjoy and rely on over the years, and our teristics of the russian river valley but it also has From hand-stirring of the lees to barrel fermen- number-one focus is to continue that tradition of a little bit of that minerality, which takes you back tation and aging, maintaining these small win- outstanding quality, value, and accessibility. to the inspiration of the white burgundies. ery practices are critical to maintaining the style above the classics is our newest tier, the How have you been so successful in and popularity of not only our chardonnays, but sonoma reserve series. representing a much providing consistent quality? our entire portfolio of wine.• more limited share of our total production, we consistency and dependability are both ex- have the opportunity to cherry-pick the very best tremely important to our winery. we’ve got the best A selection of Clos du Bois wines volume 33, number 1 posted with permission. copyright © 2010 leaders magazine, inc. 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