PROTOCOL Wine Studio

Science and Terroir: A Contradiction in Expectations?

Posted on by

There’s an awkward dilemma in the winemaking world.  It fuels a debate between the scientific community and the traditionalists often referred to as Terroirists.  Here’s how it breaks down. A winemaker with a scientific background is most often trained via university education.  Sometimes this is at an institution with a degree specific to viticulture and enology.  But many times a student may study a similar topic such as food science or agriculture and apply it to wine making.  These programs train students via the scientific method. The scientific method is … Read more →

the Rohneman cometh…

Posted on by

Relationships are funny—you never know how they’ll turn out.  But there is always the certainty that if you stick around long enough even cooler things happen. I was hired by Michael Rohner back in 2007 at a San Diego wine shop landmark, The WineSellar & Brasserie. He was the irreverent general manager, strumming his guitar, giggling, all with that exacting brilliant and encyclopedic mind. He drove me insane. We’d argue religion, ethics and drugs.  Our relationship was like wedgie meets indian burn. We are thrilled beyond the telling to invite … Read more →

studio – Quite a Messy Affair

Posted on by

As poets are want to tell you, the art of written and verbal communication relies on the artful layout of words.  When we began our hunt for the best words to convey what it is we do at PROTOCOL, we were at somewhat of a loss.  With our business model relying heavily on innovation rather than on the “traditional” retail establishment, we thought we may have a problem conveying our true purpose.  We assembled a list of words, crossed out most, then began all over again to no avail. Then … Read more →

Murmurations of the Everyday

Posted on by

The wines we’ve chosen to highlight this week from Andrew Jones as well as the graphic design team of Proof Wine Collective lead us to a seamless segway into a particular something that’s been on our minds lately: art. We’ll be showing NY Muralist Ray Ferrer at a private location in San Diego on Friday 3 May. This is Ray’s first appearance on the coast and we are delighted to commemorate the occasion with this exhibition. I had been doing some major research on the contemporary art world and I … Read more →

People Don’t Hurt People, Oyster Shells Do

Posted on by

Fringe Burgundy is our 5 week focus on our weekly Monday Twitter program #WineStudio.  Last night was Chablis, and although it has a long history, Chablis is quite fringe, due in part to its unique characteristic:  it doesn’t taste like the Chardonnay we have grown accustomed to liking. As I was researching Chablis, I found a film about an Alexandrian Philosopher named Hypatia.  In fact I abandoned the research to watch the film and then to find more on this unknowingly powerful woman.  She became the product of her surroundings … Read more →

It’s all in the White Space

Posted on by

There was a recent post that described an installation by artist Marina Abramovic entitled Rhythm 0.  She sat motionless for six hours while her audience interacted with various objects, both benign and dangerous, presented by her on a linen-draped table. She placed no restrictions on the show.  You can imagine what happened. When it was over, she quietly sat up and walked toward her audience. Her aggressors ran away. Some can view this performance piece as the degradation of the human soul because of the violence that was done to her.  But … Read more →

the_door