Ken Bernards, Winemaker
In every field and craft, there are practitioners, those who follow the lead of others, and visionaries, those who always seek to push their craft and knowledge to the next horizon. Winemaking is no different, and in this field, Ken Bernards is widely acknowledged to be one of California's visionaries. Since his first harvest in 1986, Ken has remained on the leading edge of winemaking technique in California, using scientific experimentation in the vineyards and in the winery, while at the same time adhering to traditional, small-scale methods, such as fermenting in small open-top vessels or oak barrels, utilizing hand punch-downs, and seeking to allow the vineyard's character to speak through the wines. This exemplifies his winemaking philosophy: a delicate and ever-changing balancing act between traditional wisdom, scientific assessment, and artistic insight.
Upon completing his degree in chemistry at Oregon State University, Ken accepted a position with Domaine Chandon as a research enologist, or experimental winemaker. He was able to design and perform his own experiments in every area of viticulture and enology. During these years, Ken honed his scientific reasoning, learning to isolate cause and effect in the vineyard, in the winery, and, ultimately, in the glass. Ultimately, though, Ken's passion called for more than just experimentation. True, he had come to value the importance of being scientific about decisions in the vineyard and in the winery. However, a visit to Burgundy spoke to his artistic side, awaking a desire to make his own finished wines full of mystery and nuance, wines that express the individuality of each vineyard. In 1992, Ken made his first five barrels of Ancien Carneros Pinot Noir, marking the beginning an ongoing quest for great Pinot Noirs. He was able to further pursue his desire to work on a smaller scale, hand-crafting single-vineyard wines as the winemaker for Truchard Vineyards from 1993-1997.
From 1998 on, Ken has been living his dream daily, making his own wines under the Ancien label, and small production estate-grown wines for select vineyards. His approach to winemaking, both practically and philosophically, go hand in hand with the aims of Scaggs Vineyard: to allow growing conditions, varietals and vintages to manifest themselves within the wine; to strive for wines with depth and complexity and the ability to evolve. Ken continues to be involved with winemaking, winery design, and vineyard planning in regions as diverse as Oregon, California, and Chile. All part of his ongoing quest to discover more and more about the science and art of making timeless and expressive wines.
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