Morgan Twain-Peterson almost needs no introduction: the champion of vineyard preservation and key player for the Historic Vineyard Society, Morgan made his first wine at the age of five, and has justly garnered a wealth of praise in the last decade for his distinctive, complex Bedrock wines.
What fewer people know is that he graduated from New York's Vassar College with a history degree, roasts his own coffee beans, is a beautiful pianist, once toured in Europe as a member of the cast of Oliver!, and has a knack for knowing the perfect moment to saber a bottle of Champagne (hint: it's basically anytime).
When not in the cellar treating his crew to Bouchon bakery treats and homemade dishes, Morgan is in his kitchen, experimenting with idiosyncratic recipes and working under the assumption that there is no such thing as too much duck fat.
How would you describe your winemaking style in three words? Vibrant, perfumed, and age worthy, much like myself.
How (and when) did you get started in the world of winemaking? I was raised at my father's Ravenswood Winery. As a little father-son project we started making Pinot Noir in 1986 when I was five. Though I pursued other academic pursuits for a while I came back in 2005 to work at Ravenswood, then at Hardy's in Australia and Chateau Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux before starting Bedrock out of a converted chicken coop in 2007.
What’s your favorite cellar snack? I don't really snack much though KIND bars certainly keep me from killing people some mornings.
What is your favorite place in the world? Being in my vineyards. There is something that grants perspective when you are working with plots of vines that date back 120 years.
What’s your ultimate comfort food (and what are you drinking with it) after a long day of harvest? Roast chicken with bread pudding when it's not harvest and there is actually time to cook. During harvest it is usually something from El Molino Central, the chicken chipotle plate at Juanita Juanita, or crappy pizza with Anchorsteam Lager.