The Story

The Story

There is no great story of family legacy or historical generations of winemaking in Chris Brockway’s past. His story of winemaking is one of personal dedication and the discovery of a talent that gives life to the intoxicating blend of farming and chemistry. Chris grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where his peers were more interested in kegs than wine, but the influence of his stepfather’s extensive cellar of Grand Cru Burgundies, rooted an interest. Like so many young people in college, he majored in a seemingly useless subject, however 15 years later, his degree in philosophy could not seem more appropriate.

Chris did not delve immediately into the pursuit of winemaking, it was after years of attempting other ‘more practical’ careers that he ended up waiting tables at a restaurant in Seattle. It was at this restaurant in 1993, that he tasted a bottle of wine which made him realize the potential of great winemaking. It was a bottle of 1989 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-de-Pape. The complexity and depth of this wine showed Chris the strange alchemy that is winemaking; the transition from grape on a vine to layers of alder smoke, blackberries, cassis, and nutmeg swirling in a glass. This first inspiration set him on a path to create the Rhone driven wines he makes today.

Chris earned a degree in enology from Fresno State, and has since, been working with Rhone varietal grapes to produce wines of outstanding depth, character, and focus.

Small production and a thoroughly hands-on approach are two key elements in the Broc Cellars winemaking philosophy. In attempting to capture the mysterious transformation of the grape, Chris follows the life of his wines closely. He works with the vineyard owners throughout the growing season to ensure that the grapes will be at their best by the time they come in to be crushed. The fermentation process is handled in small bins, and the must is hand punched 2 to 3 times a day. The barrel program involves some new French oak, but there is a European sensibility involved that leaves the wine with only a subtle oak presence.

Low case production guarantees that Chris will always be able to have his hands thoroughly immersed in all of the wines of Broc Cellars. He will be able to keep them clean, intense, and beautiful, guaranteeing the integrity of his personal winemaking philosophy.