The Wine Clarion by Randy Caparoso

Picking crew leader in old vine Mokelumne River-Lodi vineyard over 110 years old. Besides skill, there is a certain amount of brute strength, or at least a mental toughness, required to pick wine grapes. Otherwise, anybody could do it, when in fact not everyone is willing to do it, or even capable of doing it. It’s too damned hard. Old vine Zinfandel picker, Mokelumne River-Lodi aVA. Take your typical tote tub, or stackable plastic lug box, used for hand picking.

The Sky High block—the 2,000-ft. elevation summit of ROWEN’s Cooley Ranch Vineyard—planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec—against the backdrop of the surrounding coastal mountains and the Lake Sonoma watershed. The original text of my article on ROWEN Wine Company published in the August/September issue of The SOMM Journal.

Freestone Vineyards winery, tucked among the pungent forests of West Sonoma Coast. Freestone Vineyards. First, a stance: The concept of terroir as it pertains to wine means little outside the context of the sensory qualities of wines. Stance #2: If you’re going to mention terroir in any way, shape or form, never talk about it without connecting it to the only thing that matters to consumers⏤what they can find in a glass.

Kamaʻāina (“children of the land”) at Waiahole Poi Factory, on the Windward side of the island of O’ahu, standing in line for their local style culinary delicacies. Hawai’i is in my soul because I was born and raised there; lived in the Islands for 42 years before moving to California in 1999. Now whenever I go back, which is never enough times, I explore my home state with the enthusiasm of both a native and a tourist.

Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni kicking off their “Garys’ Vineyard 30th Anniversary Dinner” at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley. Allison Watkins Studio. The original text of an article published in the August/September 2026 issue of The SOMM Journal On May 1, 2026, two families representing the best of the California winemaking spirit came together to celebrate thirty years of partnership.

Anna Delgado’s recent Wineshop Punk post on Wine Education⏤exploring all the avenues she, as a 20-something, has been exploring to carve out a place in the wine industry⏤cited one particular way of doing it: By cultivating mentors. I was flattered that she cited yours truly, but it also got me thinking about my own perspective on mentors. I started in the industry full-time as a 21-year-old sommelier, back in 1978 (caveman days).

Paul Hobbs, Mendoza Malbec harvest in Zingaretti Estate. Paul Hobbs Winery. The original text of my article on the vineyard-designate Viña Cobos Malbecs of Mendoza, grown and crafted by Paul Hobbs, published in the February/March 2026 issue of The SOMM Journal.

The Lodi riverside vineyard known as Mokelumne Glen Vineyards in June 2026. We do not know what the dragon means, just as we do not know the meaning of the universe, but there is something in the image of the dragon that is congenial to man’s imagination… It is, one might say, a necessary monster. ⏤Jorge Luis Borges, The Book of Imaginary Beings Strange or mythical creatures, according to Borges, are extensions of our reality compelled by human imagination.

Exciting news for wine country photographers and lovers of old vine wines! The London based, nonprofit, internationally scoped Old Vine Conference has just announced their 2026 Old Vine Photography Competition! Please visit their page at https://www.oldvines.org/old-vine-photography-awards for further details. The Wine Clarion by Randy Caparoso is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

First, some remarks: Greg La Follette, the co-owner/winemaker of the Sebastopol-based Marchelle Wines, asked me to help flesh out a story about an “Old Winemaker,” based on his own life. Although not autobiographical (literary license taken), this is a device that gives Greg an opportunity to share his outlook on life, viticulture and winemaking, and the codes he lives by. The illustrations are all from photos I have taken of Greg and his vineyards over the years.