Lost Oak Winery has been an award-winning winery since its opening in 2006. That was in large part due to winemaker Jim Evans and his vast experience in the Texas wine industry. There is a new winemaker at the helm, Angela Chapman, with Jim Evans still available at the winery. With the upcoming opening of Lost Oak Cellars in Boerne, we are proud to feature Angela Chapman as this month’s featured Winemaker Profile!
- What did you do before becoming a winemaker?
I originally went to college for a metalsmithing degree. I quickly realized that, although cool, metalsmithing was not a viable career path. Without much direction in my life, I ended up getting a job at a liquor store where I found out I had a passion for wine and spirits. While there I got my WSET level 3 certificate and started doing wine education as a side hustle. Coming from an artistic background I quickly realized that simply talking about wine wasn’t good enough for me, I had to do it. I reached out to the local wineries in my area and got a job at Lost Oak. I started out as the Wine Club Coordinator and worked in all aspects of the business before making my way into production. I have to say, it is everything I hoped it would be.
- What is the toughest challenge about being a winemaker in Texas?
The unpredictability of the weather here! Hailstorms, tornados, early and late cold snaps, deluges, droughts…Oh My! Not to say that other places around the world don’t have these same problems, but everything in Texas seems to just be more extreme. On top of that, you can have one vineyard wiped out by some climatic event and one just a few miles away completely untouched. This is one of the main reasons I stay squarely on the winemaking side of things and don’t venture into the vineyard too much, I can’t handle that kind of anxiety in my life. Once I get the grapes, I’m good to go.
- Is winemaking an art or a science or both?
It is definitely both, but I take a way more artistic approach to winemaking than I do scientific. I really want the grapes to be the best expression of themselves rather than force them into what they “should be” or “have been” in the past. If you want to insult my wine, tell me it’s consistent. I hate that. I want it to be consistently good, but not consistent. Every vintage should be an expression of that year; it should be a journey, an exploration, a new adventure for your taste buds, and everyone should be excited for the new version of their favorite varietal! In that way, it is art. Science comes in when something goes wrong, my job is more to keep it from going wrong in the first place so that I can stay on the artistic side.
- What is your favorite food and wine pairing?
Chocolate! I worked at a chocolate festival once and got to talk to master chocolatiers from all over the world and the passion for their craft is, in my opinion, matched only by us winemakers. Their descriptions of the different chocolates are exactly how we describe wine. A lot of people say red wine and dark chocolate, but I promise you that is not the only pairing. There is a chocolate out there for every wine.
- If you didn’t make wine, what would you do?
I think, if you asked anyone in my family, they would all agree that I was never destined for a boring job. I’d probably end up tending bees and selling my honey in pots that I made in my backyard ceramics hut at the farmers market, or some other such nonsense. (For the record, I do not own an apiary or a ceramics hut…yet.)
- What first attracted you to winemaking and how long have you been doing it?
I like doing things; I could never be content at a desk job. Winemaking specifically is attractive to me because I get to make something that people can enjoy and enjoy over and over and over again. It’s artistic and new every year. The moment something gets boring, I start to lose interest. I don’t think that winemaking can get boring. I just completed my fourth harvest working 100% in production.
- What is the most common question you are asked as a winemaker?
“What’s your favorite wine?” My response is always, “To make or to drink?” To make, always and forever Petit Verdot; that’s a long story for another time. To drink, that depends on my mood. I have no favorites when it comes to enjoying wine.
- After a long day in the winery or vineyard, what do you do?
Drink a beer and soak my feet in an Epsom salt bath. Yes, I said beer. I sometimes analyze wine too much so after a long hot day I just want a beer.
- What’s the greatest part about being a winemaker?
Generally, I’m the most interesting person at a cocktail party. I like the looks of surprise on people’s faces when they find out I’m a winemaker and in Texas no less. One time I told someone I was a winemaker and they looked at me and said, “Like, as a hobby?” to which I responded, “No, I spend more than eight hours a day doing it and I get money for it.”
- What is your winemaking philosophy, that is, what are you trying to achieve with your wines?
Let the wine express itself; let the wine develop into what it wants to be. It’s hard not to personify them as children. They develop and go through stages, they peak and trough, and sometimes they misbehave. I look at my job as being their guide. On top of that, I want to make wine for everyone. Wine shouldn’t be exclusionary and just for the wine experts of the world. I want everyone to enjoy wine with me no matter what their wine knowledge level is. It’s one of the reasons we make wine for every flavor profile here. I have been accused of saying that every wine is “My absolute favorite!” and it is!
- Anything else you would like to add?
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my wonderful mentor Jim Evans. I’ve made some mistakes along the way, and he is always there to cheer me up with a story of how he or someone he knew had messed up worse than I did. He has also been gracious enough to hand me the reins and let me take over on a lot of the decision-making. He has been an integral part of my development as a winemaker and his continued support will always be invaluable.
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