Meet Winemaker Carl DiManno

What inspired you to pursue a career in winemaking?

A career move to California allowed me to see wine production firsthand. I was intrigued by the level of sophistication. Having spent time in petroleum and chemical production, the wine making process aligned with my skill set but was much more interesting to make.

Can you share a little about your journey into starting 868 Estate Vineyards

After eight years at Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Maryland, my wife and I were looking for our own property. I met my partners when they were looking at buying the old Oasis property. I had been asked to work with potential buyers in evaluating the cost of restarting that facility. Once we discovered we had similar goals with the other two families we eventually purchased and started 868 Estate Vineyards.

Winemaker Carl DiManno Starts with Science

With a background in science, would you describe winemaking as more of an art form or science?
I cannot speak for all winemakers. I approach my winemaking as science with a healthy dose of art. In general, I consider winemaking a scientific endeavor. Science does not care if some winemaker does not acknowledge it. Fundamental principles of science are present in all winemaking.

How did Lucie Morton influence your winemaking?

A professor in the Napa Valley College Winery Technology program recommended I talk to Lucie about winemaking on the East Coast. She really liked my wife Erin and agreed to help us find a spot in the Mid-Atlantic. She introduced me to her client in Maryland at Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, and I was able to work with Lucie there on vineyard design and maintenance. She provided me with my viticulture education. Vineyard designs, including site selection, spacing, rootstocks, varieties and clones, all stem from the “Morton” school.

What current project at 868 Estate excites you?

In 2021, we should see production from new vineyards. This block includes Petit Manseng and Tannat. I am excited to work with these varieties for the first time. It will be interesting to see if the Petit Manseng is best as a dry varietal wine, an off-dry or blending into another white. Similarly, it will be exciting to work with Tannat and see if it can stand alone or should bring structure to other reds.

What is your winemaking philosophy?

So, there are non-interventionist winemakers. I’m not one of those. I am interested in producing the best wine possible from a vintage. If a wine seems at its best with little winemaking intervention, then I leave it alone. However, if a particular wine can be helped with additions, blending or other aggressive winemaking techniques, then I am more than willing to intervene and allow a wine to show its best self in the finished product.

What is your favorite part of the winemaking process?

My favorite part is trying to make unconventional wine styles. I don’t have a lot of time for experimentation, but occasionally an opportunity arises to make a different wine. Our Pet Nat wine was a great learning experience. Same for our original late harvest dessert wine. We produced a nouveau-style Cabernet Franc that met with some success, and we plan on making another one.

What was the difference between the 2016 Vidal Blanc and the 2017 Vidal Blanc Passito that led it to winning the 2020 Virginia Governor’s Cup?

So, the 2016 Vidal Blanc was a late harvest dessert wine. Turns out that Vidal will not concentrate sugars and flavors by simply being left in the vineyard. At least not as much as we wanted. The 2017 was made with the Passito method. We picked the grapes and dried them out for two months. This allowed the flavors and sugars to concentrate, creating a dense, flavorful wine with enough acid structure so that it was not cloying. This technique, coupled with a very nice 2017 vintage, made for a very interesting wine.

What does the future hold for 868 Estate?

We are adding capacity to the winery to accommodate the vineyard planting that should bear fruit this season. As production increases, we will look for new sales avenues along with taking advantage of the inventory to hold back some wines for increased aging.

What bottle of wine is open in your kitchen right now?

Right now, I have a bottle of 2019 Valle Tranquilo in my kitchen. The wine is a collaboration between wineries in the Loudoun Heights Agrotourism Council (LHATC), which represents 9 vineyards in the northeast corner of Loudoun County. The wine is a blend that includes Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Tannat.

What is your favorite wine to make and drink?

I suppose the rosés. Rosé is my summer go-to wine. 868 Estate makes its vinifera rosé by saignée, or bleeding. Once red grapes are crushed, a portion of the juice is bled from the must and separated into a tank. The pink juice is fermented as a white wine to retain the fruity aromas. It is aged in oak but bottled early so that it can be enjoyed throughout the spring and summer.