Shea is back!
Many long-standing customers will remember Shea A.J. Comfort as the incredibly passionate winemaker who worked with us from 2000-2004. In 2007, Shea returned to MoreWine! to become the winemaker for our own winery, Olin Wines (www.olinwines.com). In addition to watching over our wine, each wine-season he researches and writes articles, updates product descriptions, and writes many of our MoreManuals! on winemaking (Shea is the author of our Red Winemaking Manual, Yeast & Grape pairing guide, Oxygen in Winemaking, Mead Making guide, and the brand new White Winemaking Manual).
As part of MoreWine!’s staff - and our commitment to providing top quality customer support - Shea is happy to speak with you and answer any general questions you may have about any aspect of winemaking, free of charge.
If You Want More, Consider an Outside Consultation
In the past some customers have wanted something a little more – a consultation or one on one tutoring relationship outside the scope of what MoreWine! can offer. Again we stress that while Shea or the MoreWine! team is happy to answer any questions you may have for free, we are pleased to announce that Shea has his own independent, winemaking consultation business www.yeastwhisperer.com. In its simplest form this can be one dedicated hour of phone time to ask him all your questions, a meeting at your home or winery, or an ongoing relationship to fine tune your winemaking skills over time.
Shea advises on all aspects of winemaking including:
• Balancing/correcting musts pre-ferment • Using oxygen to shape/structure wines • Yeast & Bacteria pairing • Improving fruit profile, colour stability, overall complexity and positive mouthfeel characteristics • Improving wines during ageing! • Guided tasting trials • Blending
Approach/Philosophy
“Over the past 10 years, I have made wine in lots ranging from 1-gallon jugs to 1,600-gallon tanks. Wine volume does not equal level of importance. Whether we are working on a single carboy or a cellar full of tanks and barrels, my goal will always be the same: helping you to make the best wine possible. For any topic or technique we cover, I will always make sure you understand the steps needed from a theoretical and practical point of view so you can confidently use this knowledge on your own. “ – Shea A.J. Comfort
Some History
• 2000-2004 Shea helped start the MoreWine! division. Over these four years Shea did intensive fermentation research on yeast, oak, MLB, tannins and oxygen (up to 40 lots per season), created and taught an amateur winemaking program, educated the company staff and created a series of technical "how-to" manuals.
• 2004-2006 Helped start-up Sterling Albert Winery (5,000 cases) as head winemaker
• 2001 to the present Contract winemaker for Lallemand, creating yeast and MLB trials each year to be used by Lallemand’s in-house staff and at various winemaker seminars both in America and throughout Europe.
• 2007 to present Consultant-Winemaker for Olin Wines.
A Few Client Responses
"If you want to get your wine making to a new level, meet with Shea, you will compact into a few hours the results of his decade or more of trials with every aspect of winemaking. This experience is not to be missed, brings lots of note paper!" - Dan B, Concord CA
"I have been making red wine on and off since 1987. Recent focus is on Syrah: a half ton each year for the past four years. I telephoned Shea Comfort last year and we chatted for an hour or so on how I could improve my outcomes. As a result, that vintage (2008), is the best I have ever made. Fellow winemakers call it spectacular. My CPA, a wine collector, compares it to some of his reds from the Napa Valley. I am delighted. I owe it all to advice from The Yeast Whisperer."
- Joseph B, Tacoma WA
"Shea really knows his stuff and has been a tremendous help with our wines. He is knowledgeable, helpful, honest and has a fastidious attention to detail. One of his unique talents (aside from his superb palate) is his ability to envision the potential of any wine - even one that you think might be lost or ruined. In my experience, some of the transformations Shea has been able to achieve have been be near magical. If you have ever tasted one of your wines and panicked, and especially if you believe one or more of your wines could be better, give Shea a call. Your wine will be better for it."
- Casey Cobb of Wine Mosaic, Concord CA, www.winemosaic.com
Please take a moment to look through Shea’s website www.YeastWhisperer.comand don't hesitate to contact him if you have any questions. He is available for on-site visits as well as by phone!
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