Tandem Wines' Greg La Follette on Terroir, Points, and Pinot Noir

Greg La Follette is one of the most revered winemakers in Sonoma County, if not the entire wine industry. His wines at both Flowers and his own label, Tandem Wines, have earned numerous accolades. In person, however, his prominence seems more like water under the bridge. Strikingly unpretentious and engaging, Greg La Follette shows far more interest in what you think about his wines today than he does about how they score or what critics say. IntoWine had the good fortune of chatting with Greg recently about winemaking, terroir, and the blessed curse of wine scoring systems.

Your career path has taken you from UC Davis to Beaulieu Vineyard to Kendall-Jackson to Flowers Vineyard to the present with your own Tandem label and your consulting work. Who have been your biggest influences along the way and how did these people help shape you as a winemaker?

#1 My mom and dad, who taught me the most important things about winemaking, which have little to do with actually winemaking and everything to do with how to treat people. Andre Tchelistcheff taught me how to “live the wine”. My wife taught me how to live life, and my kids continue that lesson, whether I like it or not! Winemaking is a team (in my case familial) sport!

Describe your view or philosophy on winemaking:

Spend time with your wines – get to know them! Wines are like kids and spouses – they need you to spend time with them and get to understand them before you do anything life-changing to them. If you did something that was completely life-changing for or to your significant other and you didn’t have a pretty good clue that this is what she (he) wants or needs, you are destined to a pretty short or unhappy relationship, or both. Pinot is like this.