Horse Thief

A wine consulting firm located in Walla Walla, Washington that delivers high quality technical support and creative solutions across the wine industry.

With the customer in mind at all times, the focus is on bringing dynamic energy, creative input and experience to meet your specific winery needs. Whether you need vineyard support, wine planning, production management, winery design or wine product and business management, the Horse Thief can provide multifaceted solutions to all of your wine needs.

Philosophy

I love to help people craft wines of significance. It is vitally important that wines express a style and vision that coincides with the mission and vision of the proprietor(s). I believe that winegrowing must be done in a hands-on and immersive environment at the intersection of philosophy, business, chemistry, microbiology and craft. Depending on the goal of the winery, cutting-edge technology may be required in order to achieve the desired outcome.

In other ways, the vision may require taking a step back to using ancient time honored techniques to craft wines that express vibrancy and terroir.

With 3 decades of wine experience, with over a decade at the helm of the Institute for Enology and Viticulture, I have a skill set for producing an impressive breadth of wine styles. What is most important to me is using these skills to help my clients create wines of meaning.

Services

General Wine Style

Red Wine

Red Wines

Maceration Techniques

Oxygen Management

Phenolic Extraction and Management

Pressing Regimes

Fermentation Management

Blending, Fining and Finishing

White Wine

White Wines

Reductive, Oxidative and Hyper-Oxidative

Flotation

Fermentation Management

Building Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Aroma and Texture

Blending, Fining and Finishing

Facilities

Facilities

Facility Analysis and Review

Cost Benefit Analysis
(Build vs Custom Crush)

HVAC Review

Wastewater

Water Filtration and Treatment

Business

Business

Business Planning

Financial Review

Forecasting

Cost Management

Labor Planning

Recruiting and Hiring

Networking

Wine Planning

Wine Planning

Vineyard Management
(With Style in Mind)

Harvest Parameters and Crush Operations

Fermentation and Ageing

Vessels
(Barrels, Stainless, Concrete & Amphora)

Microbiome Management

Product Procurement

Chemistry

Wine Chemistry

Interpretation of Data From External Labs

Basic Lab Installation Including pH, TA, Ethanol and F/T SO2

Enzymatic Analyses
(Malic, Glu / Fru, etc)

Sensory

Sensory Analysis

Blending

Fault Finding

Benchmarking

Tasting Note Generation

Finishing

Finishing

Filtration Consultation

Fining

Wine Stability

Closures

Bottling

Horse Thief Wine

Expert Witness Services in Civil Litigation

With extensive experience in wine production, chemistry, and industry standards, I offer expert witness services for civil litigation. My background includes providing clear, precise reporting, testimony and detailed analysis, assisting legal teams in navigating complex cases involving wine-related disputes. My approach combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of industry practices, ensuring that I can effectively communicate complex concepts to judges and juries. I am committed to delivering objective, credible, and insightful expertise to support your case.

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