Chappellet
Interview with Chappellet's Winemaker, Phillip Titus
September 2009
As Chappellet’s winemaker for nearly two decades, Phillip Titus has guided the winery’s storied winemaking program, building on Chappellet’s legacy as one of California’s preeminent producers of Cabernet Sauvignon. A gifted winemaker with a passion for experimentation, Phillip has embraced the diversity of Pritchard Hill to craft benchmark wines that authentically express the terroir-inspired complexity and character of their mountain origins.
Training
BS in agronomy from University of California, Davis and later went back to study viticulture and enology.
What is your inspiration or philosophy for making wine?
At first it was technical: how to do it and how to do it right, making solid wines that would please the boss. As time went by, the pursuit became more holistic, about pleasing yourself and your customer, respecting the land and the vineyard site and ensuring that site is expressed in the wine. I’m interested in making a wine that is dramatic and exciting to people.
When did you start making wine and how long have you been with your current vineyard?
I started making wine in 1979 as an Assistant Winemaker at Chappellet. I held that position until 1985 and then came back in 1990 to take on the role as Winemaker.
What are your thoughts on the link between wine and charity?
Napa Valley Vintners Association has done a lot of raising money for charity through wine and also so many people will spend wine at charity events. It’s a great thing. I’ve poured at charity events and it’s a lot of fun.
What are you drinking now?
I’m an eclectic wine drinker. Life is too short to drink bad wine, and I won’t drink wine just to drink wine. It needs to get my imagination going. Of course, I taste all the time, but drinking wine for pleasure should be educational. It’s like food, red wine, especially, needs food. Right now I’m drinking a lot of French, German and Italian wines. They can’t make our wines and we can’t make there’s so it’s fun to experiment.
What is something you want people to know about you?
Winemaking is all I’ve done since I was 12. Instead of running from my parents’ passion, I followed it. I’m so happy to have grown up in Napa and found winemaking. Winemaking and grape-growing is a long, slow process – a lot of people don’t have the patience. It’s scientific and artistic and independent. It’s a great way of life and I’m lucky that I stumbled into it. I’m walking out in the vineyards right now and it’s a joy to be here.
