Winemaker Spotlight: Alexandrine Roy

Women are developing tremendous influence in the wine and food industry, rising to the top of the ranks as winery owners, sommeliers, chefs, winemakers, vineyard managers, writers and educators. The aim of this series is to represent the Pacific Northwest women in Oregon and Washington who are developing tremendous influence in the wine and food industry, making a lasting mark on the history of wine, forever shaping its future.

This week, I spotlight Alexandrine Roy, a fourth generation winemaker who is the owner, vinegrower and winemaker at Domaine Marc Roy as well as the winemaker at Phelps Creek Vineyards located in Hood River, Oregon.

Born and raised in Burgundy, Alexandrine is deeply inspired by her roots and traditions, where she studied viticulture in Beaune where she obtained two degrees—one in the wines and spirits trade and the other in viticulture and winemaking—completed by a law degree with a wines and spirits specialization.

Curious by nature, she decided to explore the various regions where Pinot noir grows. From ’04 and ’05, she made the trek to Australia and New Zealand before making her way back to crafting wines at her family-owned vineyards. Four “Cuvées” of Gevrey-Chambertin are now made on the estate as well as a Marsannay:

Gevrey-Chambertin “Vieilles Vignes”, which is a selection of her oldest vineyards, which are about 70+ years average.
Gevrey-Chambertin “La Justice”, a new acquisition that Alexandrine did in 2011. It is a successful combination of old vines and beautiful terroir.
Gevrey-Chambertin “Clos Prieur” which is a specific “Lieu-dit” located below Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru, and one of the best locations for a “village level”.
Gevrey-Chambertin “Cuvée Alexandrine”, made from a selection of “millerandées” grapes on six of her favorite terroirs to craft a “grand cru” style.
Marsannay “Les Champs Perdrix” white, made from Chardonnay grapes that grow on a very steep hillside, providing a lot of complexity and minerality to this very rare wine.

In 2007, Alexandrine met Bob Morus on the eve of the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC). He invited her and her mother to a beautiful lunch on the deck of his property and generously poured the Phelps Creek Vineyards production. Alexandrine also poured some wines from her estate, which impressed Bob so much that he offered her the opportunity to join his team alongside his resident winemaker to craft a special “cuvee” of Pinot noir for him.

The rest is history, as Alexandrine crafts wines for Phelps Creek Vineyards. There is no doubt that this unexpected connection between the Old World and the New World with mutual grape variety Pinot noir make the story of Alexandrine unique and special along the Wine World.

[box]What first attracted you to winemaking?[/box]

I’ve always seen my parents working together in the estate and wanted to be part of it. My father told me that when I was just 4 years old, during the harvest, I was already helping the picking crew in the vines! So I think I’ve been naturally inspired and attracted by the wine world since the beginning.

Working with the vines and wines, in fact, is evident to me. Joining the PCV crew was more about a new challenge. What I was able to do in another part of the world, and how I could bring my signature with different grapes, soil, climate and history was very exciting to me. I love challenges and it was very exciting to me.

[box]Having worked both in Burgundy and the Columbia Gorge, are there any winemaking practices or decisions that differ between the two regions?[/box]

Everything is very different. I work with my “old-world” wine “technics” (which are not technics at all!) whereas the resident winemaker works with the new world technics. My methods of “extraction” are gentle and progressive to bring some character and deepness to the wine with a lot of structure and great ageing-potential.

The other wines crafted by the resident winemaker are more for immediate consumption and easy drinking. Mine are more designed for cellaring, with more expression developing with ageing.

[box]What Chardonnay style is Phelps Creek trying to achieve?[/box]

There are two distinctive styles of Chardonnay made at PCV. The unoaked Chardonnay, which is more fruity, very fresh and easy to drink, and the Reserve Chardonnay, which is a more “serious” wine with more complexity, length, structure and character.

[box]What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in winemaking since you started in the industry?[/box]

I saw a lot of changes in the wine industry, especially because I have a long winemaking history behind me, but the big changes come to me from the improvement of the equipment used for making wine. Winemaking became very “precise” because all of the equipment that we are using now is more sophisticated. You can be more “focused” and rigorous with it.

[box]Is winemaking an art or a science? Or both?[/box]

Definitely both. But I really love the special “instinct/feeling” touch. I am not working just with the analysis, numbers and tastings, but also with how I feel about the future of wine. I kept this special approach from my father, Marc, who never did any wine studies but knew exactly what he had to do by instinct. It is essential to me as it is the only way to craft wine with soul.

[box]Do you think women make better winemakers?[/box]

There is no “sex” in wine and I think if you are a man or woman, you can create some outstanding wines. It is all about how you do it and what you are trying to express with your wine. I really think there is a message behind each bottle of wine, and that wines really reflect the character of the person who created them.

[box]Whose wine do you like to drink, other than your own?[/box]

All the wines from the moment is good! I am looking for wines with soul and character, which are representative from the place where it comes from, and which are the most authentic as possible!

Photo credit: Jean-Luc Petit