Meet the Distiller: Alison Schneider, Jepson

Continuing our coverage of the 2009 ADI Conference on brandy, we conducted interviews with some of the female distillers in attendance for their take on the industry and their own roles within it.

1. From your bio it’s clear that you are dedicated to winemaking. How did you become interested in wine, and what prompted you to get started working in the field?

I don’t remember when exactly I started being interested in wine. I grew up in St. Louis, wine was not emphasized anywhere, although both my older brother and I are in the wine industry in some fashion. I was the only girl in high school I knew drinking red wine; it’s always been an interest. While going to school in Arizona I had a fleeting interest in winemaking, but from the Arizona perspective, California was not the place to be and from a complete outside perspective I figured that winemaking would be a very poplar and competitive industry—if only I had started my pursuit then. So years, colleges and careers later, I ended up in Seattle and found a job doing tours and tastings for Chateau Ste. Michelle, where I really honed my knowledge and interest in wine.

2. Obviously, being a winemaker at Jepson is a great place to be if you’re interested in distilling brandy. Were you always interested in distilling, or did your interest grow out of your experiences in wine?

I learned about and became interested in distilling out of necessity. When I started at Jepson, I knew nothing and my learning curve was huge. I did not know any distillers and those that I spoke to were not as forthcoming with information like winemakers are. Luckily for me I had a great cellar crew especially my cellarmaster, Fernando, who understood the distillation process and the intricacies of our still. I ‘only’ had to concentrate on the blending which was a true lesson in patience that I did not know I had.

3. What was the learning curve like when you started distilling? Have you learned from other distillers along the way?

See above. And…yes, I have learned from many distillers along the way. Early on a winemaker form Korbel was the most helpful, and Miles Karakasevic was a little helpful. Later Hubert Germain-Robin was generous in his knowledge, Chris Solomon from Solomon Tournour Distiller and Lance from St. George have all been helpful. The learning curve is continuous…

4. What are your biggest challenges as a craft distiller? Are they different from challenges you face as a winemaker?

Working with brandies is a much more delicate process in the blending stage. Blending initially by nose when I’m working with the higher proof brandies and really creating a kind of musical chord in the blend…looking at each brandy as a different note that will round out the blend and being able to alter the blend with a very small amount of a brandy. In winemaking, the blending process is often, not always, more forgiving.

5. Do you find there are additional challenges for women pursuing careers in winemaking or distilling?

There are many women winemakers, so it is very accepted. I do not know that many women distillers and I still get surprised responses when I tell someone that I made that brandy…

6. Do you have any plans underway for new brandy or other spirits? What can we expect to see coming from Jepson in the future?

Jepson was bought by Ken and Diane Wilson; we will probably keep the name Jepson for the brandies, the name of the winery will change to Jaxon Keys after Ken’s grandfathers. We are discussing what to do about the brandies. We will continue to make the three Jepson Brandies we have now, and will probably be making some grappa shortly. We are looking in to making some flavored spirits…the options are limitless. It’s all about that learning curve.

7. What is your favorite grape varietal to work with, in wine and in brandy?

In wine, I love the Rhone varietals: Syrah, Grenache and Viognier. In brandy, I really love working with our Estate Old Vine French Colombare, although I have worked with some lovely distillations of Pinot and Viognier.

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