Part Five: We Have a Full-time Winemaker

“I can’t imagine a more hard working, loyal and committed employee,” says Owner Tom Mudd about his winemaker. “George challenges the status quo and pushes everyone else. In fact, he literally ran from task to task in his early days at Cinnabar.”

George Troquato grew up in the wine business. His father’s grape growing and winemaking hobby introduced George to the wine industry in his pre-teen years. “I cut my teeth on old vine zinfandel from the Santa Clara Valley,” says George. “While other kids were playing baseball, I was making wine.”

George gained valuable wine marketing experience at Troquato Vineyards after it went commercial in 1985. “Making great wine is very romantic, but you have to be able to sell it,” says George.

Intent on continuing the family tradition, George graduated from the California Polytechnical Institute (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo in 1985 with a degree in agronomy. He “paid his dues” at J. Lohr Winery and in the Beaujolais region of France before joining Cinnabar in 1990.

At the time, Tom Mudd was doing all the winemaking and cellar work by himself. Calling upon Vineyard Manager Ron Mosley to help when things got overwhelming, Tom decided to find an assistant winemaker so Ron could spend more time in the vineyard. Enter George Troquato.

“I originally hired George to be my part-time assistant,” says Tom. “Before long, I realized George knew more about winemaking than I did.” Tom promoted George to full-time winemaker in 1995. Since then, George has produced a collection of wines that have earned the praise of wine critics throughout the country.

“Tom and I share a common winemaking philosophy,” says George. “Our wines express site specificity and true varietal character, have good mouthfeel, and a flavor profile that is not dominated by oak. Chardonnay with bright acidity is another important component.”

Looking ahead, George has defined six wines to focus upon – Estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon; Central Coast Chardonnay; Paso Robles Merlot; and Mercury Rising, a Bordeaux-style blend. “Our wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains display singular soils and climate while our non-estate wines offer great value,” says George.

George runs through the cellar less frequently since reaching the age of 40. His take on running? – “Let’s not waste time; let’s get going.” September and October are harvest time at Cinnabar and the busiest months of the year; don’t be surprised if you see him running from task to task.

~ if you liked this post, please share it