Winemakers Connection
with Clyde Gill of Peaceful Bend Vineyard
How long have you been making wine? "As a cellar master for 4 years, and out on my own now for almost 14 additional years." How and where did you learn to make wine? "Learning basic cooking skills from my mother at a very early age is still the most powerful asset that I possess as a winemaker. The specific habit she taught me of actually tasting while 'cooking' is the single most valuable trait that I practice incessantly, whether in the kitchen or cellar. But the more specific part of actually making wine began for me in 1994 when Stone Hill Winery hired me as a harvest worker, so the majority of the cellar logistics of winemaking I learned on the job. Other than attending a few Heartland Wine School weekends, plus programs within Missouri, my education has been very informal and ongoing. I've always had a knack for learning directly from a book. Also, the Internet has been a wonderful tool for collecting and sharing information." What did you do before becoming a winemaker? "Seems like everything. You know, a jack of all trades but master of none. I jumped around through a variety of jobs and schools, without any real direction. I was definitely a late bloomer, but when wine called me to service, I knew it was the proper fit." Describe yourself in three words. "One of those people who cannot count." What is your favorite wine to make? "I love barrel fermented white wine. There is something about the integration of the barrel with the [grape] must that creates a sum much greater than the parts. That integration is greatly magnified when the fermentation actually takes place within the barrel, and the yeast are left in contact with the wine over an extended period of time. We are blessed with being in a region that not only grows some of the best grapes, but also has prime oak trees and coopers to create world class, homegrown barrels. It seems only fitting to marry the two. The subsequent wines have the maximum complexity and diversity." What is the toughest challenge about winemaking in Missouri? "This region is quite demanding compared to many, in that there are so many palates to satisfy within the market. On some levels this is fun, as I tend to have fun with challenges. Life would be so much simpler if we only had a handful of wine styles as opposed to the dozens that this area demands. But where would the fun be in that?" Is winemaking an art or a science? Or both? "Neither: It's a lifestyle. It incorporates science and can be expressed like art, but for me it's a way of life. It breaths the seasons like we breath air, requiring the work, the rest, the contemplation, the patience, and all along, the joy." What is your favorite food and wine pairing? "Wild Cherry Smoke Roasted Venison Tenderloin, Toasted Garlic Bread, Steamed Brussel Sprouts, with Barrel Fermented Vignoles plus a Norton/Chambourcin blend and then cap off the last of that red with a bite or two of some dark chocolate that has some chili pepper mixed in." If you didn't make wine, what would you do? "Try to hide from my wife, because she would kill me if I didn't make wine." | 
