Liquid Therapy
Winemaker To Watch Olivia Teutschel joins the ranks of local vintners By Josie Cowden livia Teutschel’s interest in wine, mingled with a desire to study agriculture, took her to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2005 for an agriculture course that included winemaking and viticulture—the perfect blend of what she was after. Hailing from Aptos, Teutschel grew up surrounded by wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Her aunt and uncle live in Soquel and are wine club members of Soquel Vineyards, so as soon as she turned 21, she went with them to taste their wines. “My aunt and uncle introduced me to [Soquel Vineyards owners] Peter and Paul Bargetto, and they realized I was interested in wine, so they eventually offered me a job. In November 2010 I started pouring regularly on weekends,” Teutschel says, adding that she was glad of the opportunity to learn more about wine. But then another opportunity arose early in 2011 to go and work a harvest in New Zealand at Vavasour Winery in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley—an invaluable experience to do hands-on work in the vineyard. Whilst in New Zealand, Teutschel, now 25, learned there was a job opening at Bargetto Winery in Soquel as a lab technician and oenologist. (Peter and Paul Bargetto of Soquel Vineyards
are relatives of the Bargetto Winery owners, but they are two different wineries.) “I applied from New Zealand,” Teutschel says, “went for an interview when I came back from New Zealand in May 2011, and they gave me the job.” In May 2012, she became assistant winemaker to Michael Sones at Bargetto Winery. “Michael is definitely a driving force [of the winery],” Teutschel says of the head winemaker. “He has a wealth of knowledge and I’m learning a lot from him. And I love the Bargetto family— they have been going for so long.” Meanwhile, Teutschel continues to pour wine on the weekends at Soquel Vineyards. “I’m kind of a workaholic,” Teutschel says, “so it all works out.” But the icing on the cake was making her very own wine at Soquel Vineyards—a 2011 Olivia’s Reserve called O’s Chardonnay, Edna Valley. “Soquel Vineyards gave me full reign to make my own wine, and I wanted to make it as close to the original grape flavors as possible,” she says of the Chardonnay. “I’m very happy doing what I’m doing,” Teutschel adds. “And maybe one day I might start my own brand or have my own winery.” Olivia Teutschel’s wine is available at Soquel Vineyards, 8063 Glen Haven Road, Soquel, 462-9045, soquelvineyards.com. gtweekly.com l food & wine l 43