Christine Barbe
Christine Barbe is a French winemaker. Sauvignon blanc is her specialty.
Personal life and education
Christine Barbe was born in Bordeaux, France. She attended the Bordeaux Institute of Enology, where he received her Ph.D. in 1996 in Enology and Viticulture. She relocated, after graduation, to California in the United States.[1]
Career
Barbe first started working in the wine industry in 1991 in France, while getting her Ph.D. She worked at Château Carbonnieux and Château La Louvière.[1] Denis Dubourdieu was a mentor for Barbe, who taught her about Sauvignon blanc wine.[2] Upon relocating to California, she was hired by E & J Gallo Winery.[3] She also worked at Robert Mondavi and Trinchero Family Estates. In 2006, she became winemaker for Cockerell Family Wine Estates. In 2009, she took on a larger management role at the company, but still retaining her winemaker title.[1]
Toquade Wines
Barbe's own wine label, Toquade Wines, makes Sauvignon blanc wine. The word toquade, means "infatuation" or "craze" in French. She named the label Toquade as a tribute to her early experiences in the wine industry in France.[1] Toquade's first vintage was in 2006 and consisted of 100 cases. The 2007 vintage produced 200 cases. The 2008 wine was made from fruit from a dry farmed single block vineyard in Yountville, California. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. It was aged for seven months.[3] The 2010 production produced 450 cases.[4]
