Scott Uncorked: Happy Accidents

Winemaking doesn’t require everything to go according to plan. It about knowing what to do when it doesn’t.

Here’s a great example of that concept in action. When I was studying winemaking at Finger Lakes Community College, our class was making a red wine. As the must was pushed through the pump, a small amount of water followed it into the tank. The timing was off by just enough to matter.

That water created a thin layer of diluted juice at the top of the ferment. It didn’t belong there, so it was skimmed off—just a few gallons.

That was the mistake.

What mattered was what came next.

Instead of dumping it, we kept it.

Over time, that juice became part of a carefully tracked blend made up of small volumes that didn’t have an obvious home and included leftovers from different pressings and lots. Everything was measured. Everything was accounted for. And everything was used.

That’s good winemaking. You don’t panic when something goes sideways. You assess what you have, stay flexible, and make the best possible decision with it. And you find a way to use everything you produce.

The result of that happy accident was a pét-nat that began with a mistake, but ended up being something genuinely delicious.

So good that last year, it won ”Best in Class” at the New York State Wine Classic.

Not every mistake turns into a medal. But some of the most interesting wines come from a willingness to roll with what the cellar gives you and see where it leads.