Vine Wise
In search of the ‘perfect’ wine
By Adam Lee
M orét and I have been on a bit of a thematic roll lately— watching movies and shows about the pursuit of culinary perfection. I know that we are hopelessly behind the times— but we recently finished watching all three seasons of The Bear . Then, at the recommendation of my oldest son, we watched the movie Burnt . And not too long ago we rewatched The Menu —certainly
should reach the diner as soon as possible. With wine, even in our “consume as soon as we get it home from the store” mentality, that is simply not the case. Great wines take time, and they often change significantly from bottling to consumption. Thus, when Bradley Cooper’s character in Burnt says, “If it's not perfect, you throw it away... regardless of time,” that is a sentiment reserved for chefs. Winemakers battle greater uncertainty as to when and how the wine is presented. As winemakers we are sometimes surprised to find that certain originally less-exciting examples of our craft have improved with time to a point nearer perfection than they ever seemed when they were first bottled. When I was a child, I did pretty well in school—especially math. No matter the test—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division—I often received 100% grades on
the oddest of the trio. All of which has led me to consider the similarities and differences in pursuing perfection in the kitchen versus in the cellar, and whether the pursuit of a perfect wine is even achievable or worth doing. In all the productions we’ve watched, the achievement or goal of the chef is a Michelin 3-Star designation. Currently, there are only 146 of those worldwide. Perhaps the vinous equivalent to a 3-star is a 100-point score from a major critic. Up until recently, 100-point scores were a rarity. Just eight years ago, Craig and Kathryn Hall of Hall Winery wrote the book, A Perfect Score , about the growth of their winery and the achievement of a “100-point rating from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.” The book went on to become a New York Times best seller. Today, such an achievement, while notable, wouldn’t be book worthy. Many critics have been issuing higher and higher ratings, including 100-point scores, with greater frequency. This has led to quite a few discussions about score inflation and whether modern wines are truly that much better or whether critical standards are changing (or, more likely, both). But is a 100-point score—“a perfect score”—the same thing as having created a perfect wine? There are two main differences that come to mind when comparing the work of chefs and winemakers trying to reach the height of their craft. The first being that a chef gets to choose ingredients and can adjust the menu according to what is freshest and best. As winemakers, the ingredients we use are handed to us by Mother Nature. There is little ability to go to the market, see what is best and use that for this vintage’s creation. Only when we blend our wines do we have anything close to a similar opportunity. Instead, we commit to grapes months before, create wines over several weeks, age the wines for months longer, blend them, and only then do we discover that some of what we have created isn’t worth using. Second, a chef’s creation is not meant to change with the passage of time. The passage of time from when an item is plated to when it is consumed is quite minimal. When, “Pick up, Table 2,” is heard, the dish
tests. In these areas it seems quite clear that a perfect score on a test is the same thing as a perfect test. As I went to college, my interests changed and I ended up studying French history. There I debated with fellow students and we wrote about things like Montesquieu’s view on the relationship between justice and a deity: “Consequently, even if there were no God, we should nonetheless still love justice, that is to say, make an effort to resemble this being of whom we have so exalted a conception, and who if he existed would be just necessarily.” I can tell you that I received a few A-plus grades on papers that I wrote, but I never wrote a perfect paper. The questions we grappled with didn’t have perfect answers. The work of winemakers (and even chefs) is more akin to the study of Montesquieu’s Persian Letters than to multiplication. The pursuit of perfect score from a critic or a Michelin 3-star review seems to me to be disturbingly transactional (perhaps it is easy for me to criticize as I haven’t received either one). Oh, it is undoubtedly a deeply rewarding transaction and something to be extremely proud of, but the winemaker will still believe that he/she can do better. A perfect score is not perfection. For winemakers, the pursuit of perfection—even if unattainable—is everything. It is what drives us each year to do what we do. As Bradley Cooper says in Burnt , “It was God who created oysters and apples. And you can't improve recipes like that. But it is our job to try.” U
Adam Lee co-founded Siduri Wines in 1994, selling it to Jackson Family Winery in 2015. He now produces and owns Clarice Wine Company, and consults with numerous different wineries, including Rombauer Vineyards on their Pinot Noir project.
February 2025
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