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CALIFORNIA
Jerry Lohr, J. Lohr Vineyards
& Wines
JENNIFER
DR. ANN THRUPP
For all his merits, tracking down
Jerry Lohr is a difficult task. He
WILLIAMS HAS
UIforwardLong before it was fashionable, Dr Ann Thrupp, now 47
and manager of organic development at Fetzer Vineyards
has no mobile phone and doesn’t
NURTURED A
in Mendocino County, talked about sustainable food
“do” email. Despite his reluctance production systems. Environmental responsibility, economic
to embrace the modern world of
DESIRE AND A
viability and social equity have guided Thrupp for the past
communication, this former Nasa
SENSE OF
25 years as director of sustainable agriculture at the World
scientist has embraced the Resources Institute, a Washington DC think tank, and most recently at Fetzer.
modernity of Californian wine RESPONSIBILITY TO Today they play a key role in Thrupp’s position as managing director of the
with gusto, in fact, he has been at
the forefront of the movement.
MAINTAIN THE
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance – a non-profit organisation
established by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape
His influence has been achieved
REPUTATION AND
Growers to make California the world leader in sustainable grape growing and
thanks to the conveyor belt of winemaking by the end of the decade.
positions he has held within the
SUSTAINABILITY OF
During her career, Thrupp has worked with banana farmers in Costa Rica
industry’s numerous bodies. He
CALIFORNIA’S
and coffee growers in South America. Before joining Fetzer in 2003 she was a
has been both chairman and policy specialist with the US Environmental Protection Agency, working closely
director of the Californian Wine VINEYARDS with the wine industry on sustainable agriculture.
Institute, he founded the national
Grape and Wine Initiative, of
which he is currently president. He California to become truly about not just today, but
has been chairman of the internationally respected”. tomorrow. All of our decisions
Regional Winegrower’s Council, should be about long-term
president of the Monterey Vintners Jennifer Williams, sustainability. If we’re managing
and Growers Association and (not Spootswoode Winery ourselves properly, we’re
at the same time) president of the A product of the plethora of managing the vineyard properly.”
Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Californian winemaking mentors The importance of organic
Association. He is also one of the that have graced the region over farming to her is paramount and
founding members of Wine Vision, the last couple of decades, while she is satisfied with her
an industry that promotes a long- Jennifer Williams represents the own organic contribution at
range view of the wine industry. future of California’s winemakers. Spootswoode she hopes the rest of
The root of Lohr’s passion with Although not born into the the industry becomes as determined
California lies with the harmony industry, her future was cemented in the organic quest, before the land
between sub-regions and grape working under her self-confessed is irreparably damaged. “We’re
varieties. It is thanks to Lohr’s work mentor Rosemary Cakebread at doing it for the legacy of California
that California’s Coastal Region Spootswoode Winery in the Napa because there’s a limited
enjoys the reputation it has. In the Valley, where she started in 2003. amount of farmland and if it
1960s, while searching for the ideal Spootswoode fitted the mould that isn’t treated properly, we’re
location for his vineyard, Lohr noted Williams was looking for in a winery, going to lose it. It’s about returning
strong similarities between the it was important to her to find a to older agricultural methods, the
climate and soils of Paso Robles and small, family-owned winery that was ones before the agricultural
Bordeaux and hence achieved dedicated to quality wine. And so revolution.”
pioneering success there with Williams took the helm at Beyond organic farming, what
Cabernet Sauvignon. Spootswoode in 2006 when she is Williams’ hope for the future
“We feel a major responsibility became winemaker and director of of California?
to put the regions forth and, in vineyard operations. In her “California is very diverse but
our case, specifically Monterey, development and under the people see it as uniform. Lots of
for cooler-climate grapes and guidance of mentors such as winemakers are doing lots of
Paso Robles for Bordeaux-type Cakebread, Williams has nurtured a different things here and I want
grapes.” His hope for the future desire and a sense of responsibility people to appreciate that, which
of the industry is to “continue to to maintain the reputation and they can through all the different
earn international respect for sustainability of California’s styles that are here. Out goal is to
our combination of flavours, vineyards and subsequently, the achieve the highest quality from
value and continuity and for wine industry. “We need to think each individual estate.” db
Log onto
www.wineinnovation.co.uk to find out
48
more about The Wine Innovation Awards 2009
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