Winemaking Philosophy

At EIEIO & Company we make the best possible wine we can without compromise.  To date, this is a one+ man operation, proprietor/winemaker Jay McDonald, an assistant winemaker Sara Barber, and one or two volunteers.  We utilize the highest quality materials and best possible vineyards (the "& Company" of this operation).  Traditional techniques like open vat fermentation, extended cold soaks yielding more aromatics, flavors, tannin and color, and indigenous yeast fermentation are employed to allow the character and quality of the grapes and vintage to be fully exploited.  This is a minimal interventional approach in the sense that we do not concentrate, chaptilize, or use fining agents as long as nature cooperates.  The only intervention we do is determining when to pick the grapes, how to sort them, the duration of aging, and blending. 

The Estate