Interview With A Winemaker – Matt Standing

Wine isn’t just made, it’s crafted by the unwavering expertise of a Winemaker, sometimes old traditions are passed down by generations and on other occasions, new people venture into the industry, introducing us to new creations, this series of Winemaker Interviews will help you uncover the vast world and skills of how the artists passionate about wine make the world a bubbly place.

In this feature we speak with Matt Standing, an amazing Winemaker born in England and now working in The United States of America, let’s discover a little about his time in the American Wine Industry.

Tell Us About Yourself 

“I grew up in Brighton, Sussex, England and I‘ve lived in Sonoma County since my 2011 harvest internship at Ramey Wine Cellars. In 2015, I joined Dehlinger Winery in the Russian River Valley and I hold the position of Associate Winemaker. We specialize in estate grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon with a focus on quality. I love the outdoors and I spend time hiking, trail running and skiing in winter. I have a vegetable garden and I’m constantly trying to improve my chess game. This year I became a citizen of the United States.”

How Did You Become Involved In The Wine Industry?

“In 2003, I was hired as a bartender at Quod Restaurant and Bar in Brighton. At Quod, I worked alongside Josh Donaghay-Spire who is now Head Winemaker for Chapel Down. Josh and I became lifelong friends and he is one of the many people who inspired me to get into the wine industry. The incredible staff at Quod encouraged me to pursue mixology and some highlights of my cocktail career included competing in competitions in: London, UK; Vancouver, Canada and in the Cocktail World Cup in Queenstown, New Zealand. I started to dedicate myself to the study of wine in 2006 whilst bartending at George Ultra Lounge in Vancouver. George’s sommelier Bryant Mao would often present me with wines to blind taste while on shift and he encouraged me to enroll in the WSET programs. My first harvest was 2008 at Sticks Yarra Valley (now Greenstone Vineyards) and that’s when I knew that winemaking would be the focus of my career. In 2009, I returned to Sussex and enrolled at Plumpton College. During my studies I worked in the vineyard and cellar at Wiston Estate.”

As A Winemaker, What Has Been Your Hardest Obstacle To Overcome In Producing Wine?

“Dramatic as it sounds but honestly it has to be environmental disasters. Whilst Assistant Winemaker at Ledson Winery, the South Napa Earthquake occurred at night right before the 2014 harvest. When I arrived at the winery there were stacks of barrels tipped over like dominoes. Many barrels were split and leaking wine down the drain, it was the same for many pallets of cased wine. We were lucky that it occurred at night while no personnel were working among the barrel stacks. In addition to the momentous task of pre-harvest preparation, we also had to deal with earthquake cleanup as well as product and barrel loss. The multiple wildfires we’ve had have also been tough. When it gets bad, the electrical utility cuts power, cell phone towers go down, roads get closed and staff can come under mandatory evacuation orders to leave their homes. The wildfires usually occur before or at the time of harvest so you can imagine the strain when you have dozens of fermentations that need tending to or fruit still on the vine. In terms of smoke tainted grapes we’ve luckily not been affected so I’m thankful for that.”

How Do You Determine When Your Wine Is Ready To Drink?

“For our Pinot Noir Rosé, it is mostly about getting the wine well clarified without the use of filtration. We achieve a low turbidity through gentle racking, minimal fining, ideal temperature conditions and time. We bottle our Rosé early in the spring following harvest and it is best to drink within a couple of years while it is at its freshest and most vibrant. Our Chardonnay is barrel aged for approximately eleven months. Once bottled, the wine sits in our cellar for over a year before release. We find that amount of time post vintage to be ideal in order to round out the white wine tannins and enhance richness. For those who prefer more citrus and floral notes, it is ideal to drink closer to the release date but for those looking for additional complexity, cellaring will give more of a honeyed and stone fruit character.

Our red wines are fairly bold with a high extraction of ripe tannin. Many of our Pinot Noirs require sixteen to eighteen months in barrel while the Syrah’s and Cabernet Sauvignon’s can age for twenty four to twenty eight months. Extended aging is determined solely by taste and we check in with each of our wines every month or two. Our reds are ready to bottle when the tannins are just starting to get supple but still alongside a lot of power and concentration. These wines are great to drink upon release but also get better with age. Up to eight years is typical. Although, I’ve had many customers mention that they opened a Dehlinger as old as my thirty eight year old self and that the wine was remarkable!”

What Part Of The Wine Making Process Do You Enjoy The Most?

“I love blending our Pinot Noirs. At the Dehlinger Ranch, we have a fascinating matrix of Pinot Noir clones grown on two very distinctive soil types: Goldridge and Altamont. Goldridge is a fine sandy loam found at lower elevations and Altamont is a red gravelly loam found at higher elevations. Vines grown on Goldridge soil tend to be more vigorous with large berries resulting in a red fruit character. In contrast, vines grown on Altamont soil tend to be less vigorous with smaller berries resulting in wines with more structure and concentration. Each year we have about thirty different lots of Pinot Noir which get blended into six or seven wines. Blending trials are a challenge that can take a few months but once it all comes together as one jigsaw puzzle it is very rewarding.”

Where’s The Most Memorable Place You’ve Enjoyed A Glass of Bubbly?

“At the end of my year in Australia, my Dad came to visit and on Christmas day we spent the morning on Brighton Beach (just South of Melbourne) and shared a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck on the sand. We hadn’t seen each other for a year and were about to experience a great trip together. We ended up spending New Year’s Eve in Sydney before heading to Cairns for skydiving, whitewater rafting and sailing. That bottle was a great start to a very memorable trip.”

Thank you Matt, for sharing your words, knowledge and experience with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!

Photographer Credit: Sara Sanger – and Dehlinger Winery. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.