Makers' Stories
Michael Beaulac
— It’s not just about the wine, it’s how you get there.
How did you get started in the wine business?
I was running a jazz dinner club in Portland, Maine and was offered a job by Tim Murphy of Murphy-Goode. I accepted his offer and moved to Sonoma County to work as a Murphy-Goode Winery harvest intern in 1989 and never looked back.
If you could open a bottle of your wine and share it with any three people (living or not), who would they be?
I would love to share a bottle with my two grandfathers and my dad.
What is your winemaking philosophy?
Be proactive in the vineyards. Let the fruit find its balance. Do not force the wine to be anything it’s not. Let it express its typicity. Once in the winery, the wine should be touched as little as possible; in a perfect vintage, we really shouldn’t have to do anything.
What's your all-time favorite food and wine pairing?
Miso Glazed Black Cod with Cabernet Sauvignon is deliciously different.
If you weren't a Napa Valley vintner, what would you be doing?
A helicopter ski guide would be pretty awesome.
What is your favorite memory as a vintner working in Napa Valley?
There are plenty of memories but I would say that it’s the overwhelming sense of camaraderie among the winemakers in the valley, whether it’s having a beer or solving a problem, everyone is all in.
What’s the strangest word you’ve used to describe the smell or taste of wine?
When you hear that a wine is "interesting," it really means the wine is terrible.
Est. 2012
Foley Johnson and Merus
03
The Makers