To the Pinot Dancers out there:
It is in great people’s footsteps that we follow, and if we’re very lucky, we can trail our own paths using the sage advice of those before us. And although I am not a dancer (really, trust me), I am a winemaker who shares these same principles with Ms. Graham.
I’ve been in this business for 29 years, and those who know me well can say I am a bit obsessive and passionate about what I do – and what I do is make Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. I do it for the sheer love of the grape. I am committed to it. I am practicing what I try to teach my daughters, and that is follow – and trust – your gut. It is with the understanding that although I am a simple man, my desires run deep, and I simply want to keep exploring the depth and breadth of these varietals. It’s this visceral desire that inspired me to embark on this leg of our Pinot & Chardonnay-journey. This is not an arrogant expression of mastery, as I am the forever-student with Pinot Noir as MY teacher.
You may never master whatever it is you’re doing (hopefully), and always being curious – and forever desiring results from that creative spark – will give you experience and knowledge.
So, in 2012, and in the organic nature of how things happen, it was curiosity and desire that led me to my new creative outlet: “Tongue Dancer Wines”.
I’m sure you’re wondering about the name we chose. Why “Tongue Dancer Wines”? Well, what better way to give you an image of our wine’s taste and texture? You know me and my wines, and you know I like them to have a great “mouthfeel”. We wanted to create an image of TASTE, and as hard as that is sometimes, we think this labels captures what we’re trying to convey.