The Power of Pink
Eileen Crane, Woman Winemaker, and the Domaine Carneros Rosé
Story and photos by Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (aka The Liquid Muse)
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|  | Eileen Crane, Woman Winemaker | | |  | Domaine Carneros Rosé | |
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| "There comes a time in every woman's life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne."
-- Bette Davis in "Old Acquaintance" (1943)
Eileen Crane sits in calm repose as waiters fuss about, lining up champagne flutes and wine buckets dripping with icy condensation. A daytime-soap star at the next table curiously glances over. "Madame Pompadour introduced champagne to the court at Versailles," says Crane, confidentially, "She said it is the only wine a woman can drink and remain beautiful."
On a recent trip to Los Angeles, the president of Domaine Carneros trades the majesty of her Napa Valley chateau for a few days at the Hotel Bel Air. Considered to be among the most breathtaking wineries in North America, the design of Domaine Carneros is a nod to the original Chateau de la Marquetterie in Epernay, France, which is owned by Champagne Taittinger (a founder of Domaine Carneros). Set amidst softly rolling hills, the Northern California property boasts sweeping staircases, an opulent Louis XV-style tasting salon, and a terrace overlooking rows of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines. One can't help but wonder if this respite from her everyday job is a step down.
Still, the rise to rule her own domain has been a struggle against the sexist notion that women don't belong among the vines, or rather, overseeing them. Now, approaching her 20th anniversary with Domaine Carneros, the "Lady of the Manor" reveals a continued passion for her 30-year career: "I still sit out on the terrace most evenings, with a glass of wine."
Food and wine are lifelong loves for Crane, whose father allowed her tiny tastes from his own cellar since she was eight years old. After earning her Masters' degree in Nutrition from the University of Connecticut (where she was known as the dorm's "wine guru"), Crane completed a 10-week stint at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). However, after observing the chefs toiling weekends and nights, she decided that it was not her ideal career. "I work very hard," she shares, "but, by 7:30 in the evening, I want to be on the terrace, or at home, cooking dinner with my husband."
While in cooking school, a fellow student, Eric Miller, told her about the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis. She remembers, "The light went on: I knew this is what I had been waiting for all my life."
Shortly thereafter, she visited California. With a hint of bitterness, Crane recalls her reception by the man in charge of Davis' Enology Program in the late '70s, "He told me: ‘This is a six-year program and, when you're done, no one will hire you.'"
Disheartened, Crane turned to then-Professor Ann Noble, a legendary figure in the development of female winemakers at Davis. Noble suggested that Crane take classes in any case, and that she could then convince potential employers that she was up to the task.
So, she immersed herself in study over the next four months, during which time, she gained confidence. "Maryann Graf (one of the first woman winemakers after the Prohibition) was trotted out in front of one of my classes," she remembers. She told us that sexism wasn't always a factor in the world of wine: "Prior to the Prohibition, 10 percent of winemakers in California were women."
In addition to taking classes, Crane also became a part-time tour guide at Chandon Winery. When their pastry chef quit, Crane replaced her. And then, when their winemaker left a few months later, she seized the opportunity to become an assistant to their new female winemaker. By the time Crane had completed a six-year run with her mentor, she had risen to the role of assistant winemaker. In 1984, the Freixenet group hired Crane, and three years later Taittinger "spirited" her away. "By then," she smiles, "I had experience in building wineries."
Crane nimbly maneuvers another succulent morsel of crab cake onto her fork and takes a sip of sparkling Brut Rosé -- which is dry with soft strawberry, peach and citrus notes. An attentive waiter swoops in to top off her glass, but she waves him away, explaining, "Filling glasses only one-third full keeps every sip cold."
Ninety percent of Crane's time at the winery is spent actually making wine. "I'm a hands-on winemaker. I love making wine." Continuing the female mentorship, her assistant winemaker is a woman. With a glimmer in her eye, Crane asserts, "We are a gals' team."
Until 20 years ago, there wasn't much American interest in Sparkling Rosé. However, Crane's open mind helped to change that. Influenced by a regular visitor to the winery; a Texan with a longing for pink bubbly, Crane decided to make 150 cases of it as an experiment. She marvels, "We sold out completely! We made twice as much the following year and sold out again – and most of those sales were to Texas!" Crane's Rosés continue to soar in the Lone Star State and beyond.
Crane explains that Sparkling Rosé is difficult to produce due to color consistency. She says that although the skins of the Pinot Noir grapes give the Rosé its pink color, it actually contains less Pinot than the (golden) Brut. In fact, the Rosé is 45 percent Pinot Noir and 65 percent Chardonnay, while the Brut is 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Chardonnay (with a hint of Pinot Blanc).
Big, red wines are judged by their "finish," but all wines should carry through the palate, Crane points out. She attributes the tightly knit nose, body and flavor of her sparklers as a reason why they beat out their French rivals. Domaine Carneros maintains an exalted reputation in the elegant niche of sparkling wines and Pinot Noir. "Unlike Merlot, there is no good Pinot Noir under $10…it would be like looking for a designer dress under $50."
Women's progression from muses to winemakers reflects the evolution of women in society. For example, it is rumored that the shape of a champagne saucer was molded from Queen Marie Antoinette's breast. "The bowl shape allows bubbles to escape faster; so the joke, says Crane, "…was that ‘men preferred their women, and their wine, flat.'" With more than 34 million women making up 57 percent of annual consumer wine sales in the U.S., today, it is safe to say that wine companies are less concerned with women's breasts than their bucks. And, one trend popular among female buyers, in general, is sustainability.
With the Domaine Carneros Vineyard producing virtually all of the grapes used for her wines, Crane decided to turn her already sustainable winery into an organic one, noting the "super vibrancy" when walking through her organic vineyards. At first, cost was a concern; however, she claims that with the better, eco-friendly tools available to winemakers, the added cost of "going green" has dropped from 10 percent to practically zero.
It takes three years to be labeled "Certified Organic" and Domaine Carneros will attain that label in spring 2009. With a structure built on the property in 2003 to resemble a carriage house, the winery also has the largest "solar collective system" in the world -- among vineyards -- allowing the winery to produce 50 percent of its own energy.
By the time the plates are cleared and the last drops of Domaine Carneros have been sipped, the gracious and groundbreaking female CEO/enologist has swept up her designer bag (which, by the way, contains a copy of the best-selling book, "Eat, Pray Love"). Measuring her success by the ability to satisfy her cravings, Crane declares, "I knew I was rich when I could buy all the books I wanted." She heads off to her room for a rest, leaving a group of bustling white-gloved servers in her wake…
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©2008 by Authors/Owners Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (aka The Liquid Muse), All rights reserved |
