\nO\u2019Brien credits his staff with playing an important role in the success of his winery.<\/p>\n
\u201cStaff training is an ongoing thing. They are involved is all aspects of the operation from the vineyard to the bottling line. My tasting room staff are educated people; lawyers, doctors, school teachers. It\u2019s not for the money. They enjoy it and I want to give kudos to them,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
![\"027\"](\"http:\/\/www.hagarty-on-wine.com\/OnWineBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/027-150x150.jpg\")
His vineyard manager and winemaker is Jason Murray who has been with O\u2019Brien from the beginning. \u201cBefore coming here Jason worked with the Virginia state extension office and Tony Wolf, who is Professor of viniculture with Virginia Tech. Jason has a Master in Horticulture and is certified in some forms of biodynamic and organic grape growing.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou make ninety percent of your wine in the dirt,\u201d says O\u2019Brien underscoring the importance of having an experienced professional tending the vines. \u201cA winemaker cannot create quality. If you are growing your own grapes, the fruit is the most important part of your operation.\u201d<\/p>\n
A somewhat controversial aspect of Chateau O\u2019Brien is the signage you encounter as you approach the winery: \u201cNo person under twenty-one allowed on property.\u201d The policy rankles some visitors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want our guests to concentrate on the wines when they come here. I got tired of telling people not to let their kids run around and scream. I\u2019m not their babysitter. My best customers don\u2019t want to see kids in the winery. Ultimately, a winery really doesn\u2019t have anything for kids to do,\u201d explains O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n
Today, the Chateau is in the process of converting more of its vineyards to the production of red wines. Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Viognier vines are being removed to provide more acreage for the classic red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Syrah.<\/p>\n
Case production has also declined to 2,200 cases annually as O\u2019Brien seeks to reorder his tasting lineup with more reds. During the growing season fruit is dropped from the vine to intensify flavor. The goal is to harvest only one to three tons per acre. Maximizing tonnage generates more fruit but can lead to weaker, less concentrated wines.<\/p>\n
The strategy also increases the cost of a typical bottle. Wines range from $22 to $79. An additional cost factor is that all wines undergo wild yeast fermentation. Such fermentations must be closely monitored to prevent off flavors. Most wineries use commercial yeasts to protect against serious problems in the cellar.![\"Tasting](\"http:\/\/www.hagarty-on-wine.com\/OnWineBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/09\/IMG_1203-150x150.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are not going to get good in life unless you take a chance. Yes, you have to be on top of fermenting wines with wild yeasts. I don\u2019t know of anybody in the mid-Atlantic region that is doing 100% wild yeast fermentations. It can take over a year to complete the full fermentation process,\u201d states O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n
Critical acclaim is the benchmark in judging fine wines. O\u2019Brien underscores his success by saying Bartholomew Broadbent—who was listed in the 2013 edition of IntoWine as #48 of the 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. wine industry—stopped by the winery last year. After tasting the lineup Broadbent said, \u201cI don\u2019t believe these wines. Every one of the reds are to another level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guests might keep that assessment in mind when ascending the steep driveway to Chateau O\u2019Brien; both the winery and the wines may well lead to the next level of their wine enjoyment.<\/p>\n