Ed Note: What is most impressive about Larry Parsons is his utter lack of self pity. There are people who say that not only does Parsons lack self pity but that he is feisty and aggressive, standing on its head the stereotype of the dependent blind. Larry Parsons was born to a family of prune and cotton pickers in Bakersfield 37 years ago. Parsons has overcome the double whammy of extreme poverty and his disability, to achieve an enviable and unique place among California winemakers. It’s been a tough road but Parsons is a tough cookie.
AVA: I must say I admire you enormously. You are not regarded as a handicapped person by the locals, which means to me that your strength of personality has caused people to forget or ignore it. The quiche eaters seem rather fearful of you, another plus. Right off I'd like you to tell me if this story is true. I’ve heard a lot of Larry Parson’s stories but this one is my favorite:
One day the deputies were called to the Holmes Ranch because a posse of immediate neighbors.was claiming that you were hunting quail by leaning out your window and blasting away while the kid who was driving directed fire by shouting, “Left, right, up more, down…’’ and so forth.
Parsons: Absolutely untrue. I happened to be in the vehicle of a local high school student who was hunting. I was just along for the ride.
AVA: How do you account for the extreme hostility directed your way by certain persons?
PARSONS: I think some of it arises from the fact that people resent me because I have something going and they don’t. That along with mistrust of business people generally and the fact that my winery is out of sync with the neighborhood. They would probably rather have me down on 128 with all the other wineries. The have-nots have to learn that the haves will not be pushed around. I won’t tolerate any kind of harassment.
AVA: When did you move up here to the Holmes Ranch?
Parsons: We arrived in May of 1980. There was a barn-like structure on the property we connected to the home we built. Five acres of grapes were here, planted by an airline pilot and a school teacher.
AVA: What attracted you to Anderson Valley?
Parsons: It’s a wonderful mixed bag of people. We have an opportunity for relationships of any and all styles. In the city you tend to associate only with people like yourself. It’s the variety that makes living here very attractive. Plus, I’m not far from business interests I maintain in the Bay Area.
AVA: I’m trying to inform myself about wines and the wine industry so I hope you will tolerate some of the dumb questions coming up. What attracted you to making wines?
Parsons: I come from a family of alcoholics! I think the interest grew naturally out of my family circumstances. I started tinkering when I was about six, trying to make wine and beer at home.
AVA: Why did it take so long for Anderson Valley to become a recognizable area for growing premium grapes?
Parsons: Probably because of its isolation. The Napa Valley is much closer to the markets and only recently has there been an awareness of the unique growing conditions of Anderson Valley. There is now much more awareness of quality wines.
AVA: Is the Valley well-known among people who fancy wine?
Parsons: It is still little-known. Anderson Valley is often confused with Alexander Valley in Sonoma County. But it is obviously becoming more and more identifiable as a distinct area. The New Boonville Hotel, the wines, the wineries, your newspaper, Boontling, all seem to be putting the place on the map.
AVA: It seems to me, as a person ignorant of the industry, that every weekend there is a wine contest somewhere and all the wineries award one another gold medals, sort of like a little league awards dinner, everyone gets something. Last year, there was a very amusing story in the Press Democrat about a hot shot European wine writer: whose trip out here was financed by Napa Valley wineries. In the course of a talk, the wine critic said that 80 percent of American wines weren’t worth a damn. He quickly reneged when he realized that wineries weren’t going to pass out freebies to their critics. So what are the standards? How can you tell a mediocre wine from a good one?
Parsons: We are influenced by marketing strategies. Probably most people’s wine buying is determined by advertisements of one kind or another. The truly sophisticated let their palates be their guide. There are four and five dollar bottles of wine superior to twenty dollar bottles, let me tell you. But there are all sorts of prejudices at work that determine the success of certain wines and wineries. A number of California winemakers know that our wines are as good as any European wine. But many Europeans have a bias against anything American, especially wines because they have seniority in the field. A good wine is one you like. It can be that simple. Don’t let the experts tell you different. My advice is to stop reading and start tasting!
AVA: How about the wine experts, the judges at all these contests?
Parsons: Most are terrifically prejudiced. They taste all day. Their palates are overwhelmed. Many of them don’t have the same taste as John Doe Public. The small wineries have to compete for the attention of the wine-buying public so competitions are important, like them or not.
AVA: Did the fact that Reagan took Husch wines to China with him make any difference?
Parsons: Of course it did! The publicity and resulting name recognition that came to Husch as a result of Reagan’s purchase was invaluable to Husch.
AVA: Are wine critics corruptible? Can you buy good press?
Parsons: If you can I’ve never heard of it happening. They must get tons of free wines but I’m not aware that gifts of wine influence their opinions.
AVA: Is it possible for these huge wineries to make quality wine?
Parsons: It’s possible, but the bigger you get, the more difficult it is because of the increase of variables, more things can go wrong.
AVA: Do you make any attempt to sell your wines locally? .
Parsons: Vernon Rollins, at the New Boonville’ Hotel, helps all the Valley wineries enormously because he stocks them all. But some places, like the Heritage House, still have all out-of-county wines for sale. I understand, though, the Heritage House will soon go local. I’m the new kid on the block in this business so I’ve got to work hard for recognition.
AVA: Will you still be making wine when you’re an old man?
PARSONS: Yes! I love wines and winemaking.
I love the romance of the industry.
AVA: How dependable is your labor force? I understand there was intense competition among wineries for pickers this season.
Parsons: The Mexican work force is becoming more sophisticated. Harvests are their big chance of the year to make some real money and they informally have banded together to get top dollar. More power to them. They are wonderful. hard working people. Some entrepreneurs of engineering should move to the Valley to employ these people. They wouldn't regret it.
AVA: Have you a parting remark or shot for us?
Parsons: Yes. If more people would learn braille, all the blind drunks could find my wines on the shelves easier!
Great sense of humor, dude!