Page 64 of Gone With the Wine

“Yeah. Miles says he’s a good guy.”

I can’t even with this man. My heart is beating unevenly and I want to jump him and lay kisses all over his face for what he’s doing. Highly inappropriate. I clear my throat. “Anyway. I wanted to ask you about new oak or old oak barrels for the pinot.”

He purses his lips. “You should make that decision.”

“It’s your winery.”

“You’re the winemaker.”

I grin. “Okay, here’s what I’m thinking. Old oak over time becomes more neutral, but new oak imparts a lot of complexity. Pinot loves oak, but you still need to be careful. It’s like seasoning food—too much salt or too much garlic can ruin a dish.”

He nods attentively.

“I want to elevate the pinot but not impose too much taste of oak. I think new oak barrels will be too much, so I think we should use thirty percent new barrels.”

He shakes his head, a hint of a smile touching his lips. “And you wanted me to weigh in on that?”

“I guess I want your blessing.”

“Bianca. I trust you to make the right decisions. To make the best wine.”

My chest fills with warmth. “Thank you. But some of these things are subjective. There are plenty of pinotphiles who love massively oaked pinot noir.’”

“But not you.”

“No.” I smile. “I like a soft, silky finish from oak, but not ‘smoky, toasty oak with touches of charcoal.’”

He laughs. “Now I want to taste both and see what I think.”

I push my lips out. “Really? Because we’re ready?—”

“I just mean out of curiosity. You go ahead and do what you think is best for those beautiful pinot grapes.”

My face relaxes. “Okay! Good talk, boss.”

He snorts as I rise and I walk out of his office with a huge smile on my face.

Chapter14

Bianca

“What’s wrong with the syrah you tasted yesterday?” Jansen shoves a hand into his thick hair. Those long, lean fingers slide through the silky strands in slow motion. I imagine the feel of his hair on my own fingers.

“Oh.” I frown. “I found the tannins very harsh. But I’ve been thinking about it. I want to try blending it with some of the viognier.”

He shifts in his chair to more fully face me in the Bar Down lab. “You want to blend white with red?”

“Yes. Don’t look like that. It’s actually quite common. Champagne, for example. It’s chardonnay blended with pinot noir.”

“Really?” His eyebrows elevate. “I didn’t know that.”

“Well, we’re not making champagne.”

“Obviously.”

I smile. “I think the viognier will soften the rough edges of the syrah. It would have been better to co-ferment them, but we can do this now.”

“What are the risks?”

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