As the discussion moves from regional geology through the other elements of terroir—soil, land, vines and their cultivation, winery techniques and the protean visions of winemakers (many of whom are quoted at length)—another factor intrudes: the influence of style. When wine critics favor a certain style of wine, as they have for over 20 years, it creates a bias in the market toward the International style, what Swinchatt and Howell call "gobs-of-fruit, sock-me-in-the-mouth, knockout wine." The money and prestige that a stylistic fad presents can tempt or even force winegrowers away from their own vision of terroir. There are even consultants who will show winemakers how to match the chemical profiles of high-rating wines.
One who fights back is Chris Howell of Cain Vineyards: "It's not about making another great wine. It's about a wine that reflects place. It's been about complexity from the beginning, about taking care of this place and doing it justice, in the barrel, in the bottle, in the glass. And finding people who appreciate it."
The authors argue that for the authentic Napa terroir to speak, winemakers and drinkers must listen for the balance of its constituent voices, "the influences of three major elements and one minor—a chorus of water, of sun, of earth, and of air." Water brings herbaceous flavors, sun brings ripeness and opulence, earth brings austerity and tannins, and moderating air balances sugar and acid. In the balance of this chorus lies the character of a wine.
To Swinchatt and Howell, the Napa Valley is unique among world-class wine regions "in its diversity of microenvironments and in the potential diversity of wine character, an attribute that is vulnerable to today's trends." They advise the Napa wine community to stop "trudging farther down the road of reaction to fad and fashion." As for the wine drinker, they hope that we will seek out more information about our wine's terroir while exploring our own taste, not relying on the opinions of experts. "The Winemaker's Dance" is both a call to action for the industry and a teach-in for the public.
