Jon McPherson
Winemaker Jon McPherson has over 40 years of award winning winemaking experience, currently crafting over a dozen sparkling wines at three different wineries, Carter Estate and South Coast, both in Temecula, California, and Carter Creek in Texas Hill Country. He has been instrumental in putting Southern California on the map for making classic method bubbly, not to mention pushing boundaries with the varieties he uses to make them - hello gewürztraminer and pinot grigio!
Graduating in 1985, from Texas Tech with a B.S. in Food Science and a second degree in Chemistry, Jon headed for Southern California. He became winemaker at Culbertson Winery, the first winery in Temecula specializing in sparkling wines made in the Methode Champenoise style. Thanks to Jon's leadership and expertise, the winery, now known as Thornton Winery, earned the title "America's Most Honored Sparkling Wine Producer." McPherson joined the Carter family wineries in 2003, where he continues to make a wide array of sparkling wines.
What does sparkling wine symbolize for you?
Sparkling wine is an artistic, physical narration of time and place: a reflection of the growing season, the vineyard, the cèpage [variety]and terroir, and the people who made it all happen. It is celebratory and comforting. Sparkling wine is alive, active, and foaming with life. It is a true unification of yeast and fruit, combined with time. There is no other beverage that can simultaneously elevate the spirit and evoke nostalgia while quenching thirst and calming the senses. Perhaps sparkling wine is just time in a bottle, but the depth from which the bubbles rise, knows no bounds.
What sparkling wines are you loving right now?
The large French and Spanish houses always have a place at the table because they are readily available. Smaller, grower-producer Champagnes are worth seeking out for their distinctiveness. Franciacorta is divine, but hard to find, and most of the domestic bubbly is always on the mark. Blanc de Blancs are a favorite, but a Pinot Noir/Meunier based Brut has a richness that can’t be beat. Alternative blends and styles are super fun, like Cremants from Chenin Blanc or Cab Franc and Sekts from Müller-Thurgau and Gruner Veltliner. And don’t forget the Prosecco! It’s all good.