Charles Smith (2014)

Thats a great question. There was talk of it five years ago in Argentina, but I passed. Then there was an offer in the South of France, and I passed. And now, there is someone from the Rheingau, my favorite winemaker from the area and there is talk of collaboration - and that would be a yes.

No, that shipped has sailed. I have vineyards just down the road in "the rocks" that I take care of myself. The vineyards are River Rock, Jack's Vineyard, and Rock Garden. Same strong commitment to farming and growing the best wine possible.

Man, I don't know. When you find out, please email me.

It is a dream job, if it is your dream. And it was mine. Not that you're asking me life advice, but everyone should really try to find their "thing" and I was personally lucky enough to find my "thing." What's the hardest part? The weather. You don't know what Mother Nature is going to give you. It can be really, really stressful. You need to ripen the grapes, not too little and not too much. And in my case, once you become a celebrated (if you will) producer, you have to continue at that level or even higher. Think about the rock and roll band who makes the amazing debut album. And it shoots them to the top. They have to follow it with another great one. Again. And again. And again. That's the hardest part.

For elegance, my Syrah called "The Beautiful" from the Walla Walla Valley. Also, my single-vineyard Malbec called "Broncho" - it's so bad ass it needed it's own band. That would be Broncho from Oklahoma. Although you did not ask, I believe the most important wine I make is the Kung Fu Girl Riesling. For it's quality, availability and its price, it just does everything. I feel that everyone should have access to really good wine at a good price, and that wine does it.

Hopefully above ground. But in all seriousness, I'll be here in Washington state. An old guy with a bunch of mixed matched clothing but looking cool as hell with a drippy nose...making wine.

Yes, and are you Kristen Wiig?

I can say the happier palate would be the rock stars. It's not always that important. Wine is just great to drink.

No, but I was supposed to bump into him up in Jerome, Arizona (where he lives), but that weekend he had got married and it just didn't happen. Even though you didn't ask, I like his commitment to making wine of his region.

A tall boy of Stiegel. Refreshing.

Depends on my mood, but if its today, I'd like to be sitting in Beaune, France (but I'm not, I'm in Walla Walla) and I'd be in a cafe and drinking a big deep glass of Burgundy and a big piece of stinky Epoisses.

Because you have to wait til the grapes freeze and there's just not a lot of places that that happens before they simply rot and fall off the stem. Making it is easy: press it, put it in the vessel and let it happen. Now on the beer issue: I'm with you. A beer can't hurt you. In fact, I'm having one right now. And on the wine thing, maybe she just wants to bust your balls. Can't help ya, man.

One of my favorite grower champagnes is from Jose Michel. There are other great and perhaps greater producers, but I really love the Blanc de Blanc - and because it has this faint flavor of white chocolate...and I know white chocolate is not really chocolate, but it is very satisfying and sexy.

I was living in Copenhagen and just making a living. I had been there for ten years, was having a great time, but always thinking, "Ok, what's next?" And when I was 19, I started working in restaurants. And the guy who had the wine job, seemed like he had the easiest one. He'd come in late, he'd leave early, he'd drink all night and got paid for it. So that's a great job. So I decided after Copenhagen, that I was going to take that same idea to the next level and make my own wine. The years of travel and working in hospitality with wine and honestly, just the sheer number of bottles of good wine consumed (and a few not so good) brought me to this place. So far, so good.

Well, first off, I just decided I was going to do it. I relied on all my wine experiences and instinct. And when I needed to know something, I googled it. No, just kidding. I would go out drinking with winemaker friends of mine, and considering I lived in Copenhagen for ten years, I became a Viking. And everyone knows Vikings can drink. So, once we were good and drunk I would start a conversation about whatever I wanted to know - and boy, do winemakers love to talk about their wines. I would take what I liked and ignored the rest and once again, trusted my instinct. I know it sounds unbelievable, but thats the truth. An honest question deserves an honest answer. Thanks.

I think at some point, everyone does.

For people, like yourself, beginner wine drinkers - I always will pick wines that are easier to find, perhaps no matter where you live. There are some really classic, solid producers. Cote du Rhone, from Guigal, you can find it nearly everywhere and for fifteen bucks! It is delicious. That's for red. And for a white, I love German Riesling. There are many good producers and you'll want to look for the labels that have the word Kabinett, which tells you its a certain level of dryness. You will not be getting a sweet wine. And for most of the time, you'll be getting a very decent bottle of wine. I always recommend asking the person at the shop where you're buying the wine. They're passionate, that's why they do that job. Just trust them. When I have a question, even though I'm a winemaker, I frequently ask.

The first wine was one wine and that was Walla Walla Valley Syrah in 1999. A lot of people loved it. I know it might sound glib to say, but my wines were really good from the beginning. But, to be truthful, I felt with my 2007 vintage, I completely understood and had what I considered (for lack of a better word) a masterful hand. In other words, my hands were able to do what my mind was thinking. And that was with complete confidence. But apparently, I was pretty good before then because my 2006 Royal City Syrah received 100 points.

Depends on where you live. Send me an email to charles@kvintners.com and I'll send it on to someone who will point in the right direction.

The managing part was not always that much fun, to be honest. In fact, I was known for having more fun, imbibing than anyone I was on the road with. But I saw so many great shows and met so many great people. Not managed, but favorite band: Dead Moon.