Meet the Russian refugee who turned America into a wine superpower

遇见将美国打造成葡萄酒超级大国的俄罗斯流亡者

How Andre Tchelistcheff fled revolution, reinvented Napa, and taught the New World to outshine the Old

安德烈·切利切夫如何逃离革命，重塑纳帕谷，并教会新世界超越旧世界

Golden light spills over endless rows of vines, and the hum of harvest fills the valleys of California. For weeks every fall, the land turns into a symphony of baskets, presses, and fermenting grapes – the heartbeat of an industry that now makes the United States the world’s fourth-largest wine producer and its biggest consumer. Ninety percent of that comes from California alone, a state that has become synonymous with fine wine.

金色的阳光洒向绵延不绝的葡萄藤，收获时节的喧嚣充盈着加利福尼亚山谷。每年秋季的数周里，这片土地便化作篮筐、压榨机与发酵葡萄的交响曲——如今这个产业已使美国成为全球第四大葡萄酒生产国及最大消费国，而其中 90%的产量仅来自加利福尼亚，这个与优质葡萄酒画上等号的州。

This success story began not with the land, but with a man. Behind Napa’s rise stood an unlikely figure: a Russian émigré who fled revolution, crossed Europe, and brought Old World science to the New. His name was Andre Tchelistcheff – the godfather of American winemaking.

这个成功故事的开端并非源于土地，而在于一个人。纳帕谷崛起的背后站着一位出人意料的角色：一位逃离革命、横跨欧洲、将旧世界科学带入新世界的俄罗斯移民。他名叫安德烈·切利切夫——美国葡萄酒酿造的教父。

The American wine desert  

美国葡萄酒的荒漠时代

When Andre Tchelistcheff arrived in California in the late 1930s, he found a land with perfect soil and sunshine but a winemaking industry in ruins. Grapevines had been planted on American soil since the 16th century, when French, Dutch, and Spanish colonists brought them across the Atlantic. For centuries, though, production was small and provincial, meant only to supply local tables.

当安德烈·切利斯特切夫于 20 世纪 30 年代末来到加利福尼亚时，他发现这片土地虽然拥有完美的土壤和阳光，但酿酒业却一片凋零。自 16 世纪法国、荷兰和西班牙殖民者将葡萄藤带过大西洋以来，美洲土地上就开始种植葡萄。然而几个世纪以来，产量始终有限且地域性强，仅用于满足当地需求。

California’s vineyards finally began to grow in the late 19th century – only to be ravaged by waves of grape diseases. Then came Prohibition. Between 1920 and 1933, the industry collapsed almost entirely. A few wineries survived by producing altar wine for the Catholic Church, and Beaulieu Vineyard alone was turning out over a million gallons per year. But these were rare exceptions.

加利福尼亚的葡萄园终于在 19 世纪末开始扩张——却接连遭受葡萄病害的肆虐。接着禁酒令来临。1920 至 1933 年间，这个行业几乎完全崩溃。少数酒庄通过为天主教会生产祭坛用酒得以存活，其中博琉酒庄独力维持着每年超百万加仑的产量。但这些都属罕见例外。

By the time Prohibition was repealed, American wine was a shadow of its former self. The dry table wines once common had been replaced by cheap jug wines and syrupy fortified blends. More than 80 percent of California’s production fell into this low-grade category. One critic of the era put it bluntly:

当禁酒令废除时，美国葡萄酒业已不复当年。曾经常见的佐餐干型葡萄酒被廉价的散装酒和糖浆般的加强酒所取代。加州超过 80%的产量都属于这种低端品类。当时一位评论家直言：

“It’s better to drink beer than California wine.”

"喝啤酒都比喝加州葡萄酒强。"

This was the state of Napa Valley on the eve of Tchelistcheff’s arrival.

这正是切利斯特切夫到来前夕纳帕谷的境况。

The Russian exile  

俄罗斯流亡者

Andre Tchelistcheff was born in Moscow in 1901, into a noble family whose lineage stretched back to the fifteenth century. His youth was shattered by the October Revolution and the Civil War. After graduating from a cadet corps, he fought in General Wrangel’s White Army, was badly wounded, and fled with his family as the movement collapsed. Like many Russian émigrés, they began a long journey through Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia before finally settling in Europe.

安德烈·切利斯特切夫 1901 年出生于莫斯科一个贵族家庭，其家族血统可追溯至十五世纪。十月革命与内战击碎了他的青春岁月。从士官学校毕业后，他在弗兰格尔将军的白军部队作战，身负重伤，随着白军运动溃败而举家逃亡。如同许多俄国流亡者，他们辗转南斯拉夫与捷克斯洛伐克，最终在欧洲定居。

In Prague, Tchelistcheff studied agronomy and trained at the legendary Tokaji vineyards in neighboring Hungary. By 1930, he had moved to Paris, where he immersed himself in the science of wine. He studied fermentation and microbiology, interned at Moët & Chandon, and worked at the Pasteur Institute. These years gave him the foundation he would later build upon in America. As he liked to say, “When I think about wine, I switch from English to French.”

在布拉格，契利斯特切夫学习了农学，并在邻近匈牙利著名的托卡伊葡萄园受训。到 1930 年，他移居巴黎，潜心钻研葡萄酒科学。他研究发酵与微生物学，在酩悦香槟实习，并任职于巴斯德研究所。这些岁月为他日后在美国的事业奠定了根基。正如他常说的："每当思考葡萄酒时，我的思维就会从英语切换到法语。"

By the late 1930s, his reputation was growing. Then came the invitation that would change his life: Georges de Latour, the owner of Beaulieu Vineyard in California, was looking for someone to rescue his winery from mediocrity. Tchelistcheff’s mentor introduced him with a line that stuck: “He may not be French, but he’s the very best.”
到 20 世纪 30 年代末，他的声名日渐显赫。随后，一封改变命运的邀请不期而至——加州柏里欧酒庄的庄主乔治·德·拉图尔正为酒庄的平庸困境寻访救星。切利斯特切夫的引荐人用一句令人难忘的话介绍道："他或许不是法国人，但绝对是顶尖的。"

A brave new world  

美丽新世界

California in the 1930s had everything nature could offer a winemaker – sun-drenched valleys, fertile soils, and a Mediterranean climate. What it lacked was craft. When Tchelistcheff first set foot in Napa, he was stunned by what he found. Cellars were stiflingly hot, presses were cooled by dumping in blocks of ice, and equipment stood rusting in the corners. Hygiene was almost nonexistent: workers didn’t wash their hands, larvae bred in barrels, and dead rats were even left floating in fermentation tanks.

1930 年代的加州拥有酿酒师梦寐以求的自然馈赠——阳光充沛的峡谷、肥沃的土壤和地中海式气候，唯独缺少精湛技艺。当切利斯特切夫初踏纳帕谷时，眼前的景象令他震惊：酒窖闷热难当，压榨机靠投入冰块降温，设备在角落锈迹斑斑。卫生条件近乎不存在：工人不洗手、酒桶滋生幼虫、甚至还有死老鼠漂浮在发酵罐中。

For a man trained in the rigor of the Pasteur Institute, it was a shock. Yet the contrast went beyond winemaking. Tchelistcheff was every inch a European aristocrat – always immaculately dressed, precise in his manners, addressing men as “my dear sir” and women as “madam.” In remote Napa, this refinement made him an obxt of ridicule. His young son was even beaten up at school for wearing a French-style uniform.

对于这位在巴斯德研究所接受严格训练的人来说，这无疑是一种冲击。然而差异远不止于酿酒工艺。切利斯特切夫是位彻头彻尾的欧洲贵族——永远衣着考究、举止得体，称男性为"亲爱的先生"，唤女性作"夫人"。在偏远的纳帕谷，这种优雅做派使他成为嘲弄对象。他年幼的儿子甚至因穿着法式校服而在学校遭到殴打。

It was into this unlikely environment – a land of promise wrapped in provincial roughness – that Andre Tchelistcheff began his American experiment.

正是在这个充满反差的环境里——一片裹挟着乡土粗粝的应许之地——安德烈·切利斯特切夫开始了他的美国实验。

Revolution in the cellar  

酒窖革命

Tchelistcheff’s first act in California was simple but radical: he demanded order. The barrels were scrubbed clean, the cellars cooled, and the old rusty equipment replaced with stainless steel tanks and enamel-lined pipes. It was the first time such technology had been used in Napa Valley, and the effect was immediate: the wines no longer carried the metallic tang of rust.

切利斯特切夫在加利福尼亚的首个举措简单却激进：他要求建立秩序。酒桶被彻底擦洗，酒窖实施降温，生锈的旧设备被不锈钢罐和搪瓷内衬管道取代。这项技术首次亮相纳帕谷便立竿见影：葡萄酒不再带有铁锈的金属涩味。

He introduced cold fermentation for white wines and malolactic fermentation for reds – practices that would later become standard worldwide. He drastically reduced the use of sulfur dioxide, which had been added to Californian wines in reckless quantities. Local workers could hardly believe it; one foreman even suggested dumping in a whole bucket of the chemical “just in case.”

他为白葡萄酒引入低温发酵技术，为红葡萄酒采用苹果酸-乳酸发酵法——这些工艺后来成为全球行业标准。他大幅减少二氧化硫的使用量，而当时加州酿酒业曾肆意滥用这种添加剂。当地工人难以置信，一名工头甚至建议"以防万一"直接倒入整桶化学制剂。

At the same time, he turned to the vineyards. California was then dominated by high-yield grapes good for bulk wine but useless for quality. Tchelistcheff pushed for Cabernet Sauvignon, convinced that Napa’s soil and climate could rival the Old World’s best. After overcoming resistance from the vineyard’s owners, he finally got his way.

与此同时，他将目光投向葡萄园。当时加州盛行高产葡萄品种，虽适合量产葡萄酒却品质平庸。切利斯特切夫力推赤霞珠种植，坚信纳帕谷的土壤气候足以媲美欧洲传统优质产区。在克服葡萄园主的阻力后，他终于如愿以偿。

The result was the Georges de Latour Private Reserve. By the 1940s, it had become a symbol of American fine wine, poured at White House receptions and recognized as California’s first truly world-class vintage.

其成果便是乔治·德·拉图尔私人珍藏。到了 1940 年代，这款酒已成为美国精品葡萄酒的象征，不仅现身于白宫招待会，更被公认为加州首款真正达到世界级标准的佳酿。

The Maestro and his disciples

大师与他的门徒

No single winemaker, however brilliant, could transform an entire industry alone. Tchelistcheff’s true legacy came through his students.

再天才的酿酒师也无法仅凭一己之力改变整个行业。切利斯特切夫真正的遗产通过他的学生们得以延续。

After Georges de Latour’s death, Beaulieu Vineyard passed into the hands of corporate owners more interested in profits than in quality. Frustrated by marketing gimmicks and budget cuts, Tchelistcheff left the winery in 1973 after more than twenty-five years. It turned out to be a turning point. As an independent consultant, he became a mentor to a new generation of California winemakers.

乔治·德·拉图尔去世后，宝林酒庄落入更关注利润而非品质的企业手中。受够了营销噱头和预算削减，切利斯特切夫在效力二十五年后于 1973 年离开酒庄。这竟成为转折点——成为独立顾问后，他化身为新一代加州酿酒师的引路人。

Unlike many in his field, Tchelistcheff never hoarded his knowledge. He was exacting in standards, generous in teaching, and utterly devoted to the craft.

与业内许多人不同，切利斯特切夫从不吝啬分享知识。他标准严苛、倾囊相授，对酿酒工艺倾注了全部热忱。

But his vision reached beyond Napa. Studying the soils of the Pacific Northwest, he saw that Cabernet Sauvignon could thrive in Washington, while Pinot Gris would do well in Oregon. With his guidance, his nephew Alexander Golitsyn – another Russian aristocrat in exile – founded Quilceda Creek Winery, later hailed as one of America’s finest producers of Cabernet. Tchelistcheff also advised Chateau Ste. Michelle, steering it toward Gewürztraminer, Semillon, and Riesling, which put Washington State on the wine map.

但他的远见超越了纳帕谷。通过研究太平洋西北地区的土壤，他发现赤霞珠在华盛顿州能够茁壮成长，而灰皮诺则适合俄勒冈的风土。在他的指导下，其侄子亚历山大·戈利岑——另一位流亡的俄国贵族——创立了奎尔塞达溪酒庄，该酒庄后来被誉为美国最杰出的赤霞珠生产商之一。切利斯特切夫还为圣米歇尔酒庄提供咨询，引导其专注于琼瑶浆、赛美蓉和雷司令等品种，从而使华盛顿州跻身世界葡萄酒版图。

By the late 1970s, his influence spanned the entire American West. Tchelistcheff earned the title of “America’s most influential winemaker since the Prohibition,” or simply “The Maestro” – the man who gave the United States not just great wines, but a wine culture.

到 1970 年代末，他的影响力已覆盖整个美国西部。切利斯特切夫被誉为"禁酒令时代后美国最具影响力的酿酒师"，人们更习惯称他为"大师"——他不仅为美国带来了卓越的葡萄酒，更塑造了属于这片土地的葡萄酒文化。

The Paris Judgment  

巴黎评判

For centuries, French winemakers dismissed the New World as incapable of true greatness. But in 1976, that certainty was shattered. British wine merchant Steven Spurrier organized a blind tasting in Paris, pitting French classics against upstart California wines.

几个世纪以来，法国酿酒师一直轻蔑地认为新世界产区无法酿造出真正伟大的葡萄酒。但 1976 年，这种笃定被彻底粉碎。英国酒商史蒂文·史普瑞尔在巴黎组织了一场盲品会，让法国名庄酒与初出茅庐的加州葡萄酒同台竞技。

To the astonishment of the judges – and humiliation of Bordeaux and Burgundy – the winners were from Napa Valley: a Cabernet from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and a Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena. Both had been made by Tchelistcheff’s students. For the first time in history, American wines outscored the French in their own capital.

令评委震惊——也使波尔多和勃艮第蒙羞的是——胜出者均来自纳帕谷：鹿跃酒窖的赤霞珠和蒙特莱那酒庄的霞多丽。这两款酒都出自契里斯特切夫的门徒之手。历史上首次，美国葡萄酒在法国本土击败了法国酒。

News of the upset reached Tchelistcheff while he was touring Bordeaux. Ever the diplomat, he told his assistant not to mention it to their hosts: “If we tell them right now, the French might take offense – and after all, we’re their guests.”

当契里斯特切夫在波尔多考察期间听闻这一颠覆性结果时，一贯秉持外交智慧的他叮嘱助手不要向当地东道主提及："如果我们现在告诉他们，法国人可能会觉得被冒犯——毕竟，我们是他们的客人。"

The so-called “Judgment of Paris” became a turning point in global wine history. It was proof that the New World could rival, and even surpass, the Old – and Tchelistcheff’s fingerprints were all over the victory.

这场所谓的“巴黎评判”成为全球葡萄酒历史的转折点。它证明了新世界能够匹敌甚至超越旧世界——而这场胜利处处可见契列斯切夫的印记。

Return to Europe  

重返欧洲

Even in his later years, Tchelistcheff remained restless. In the early 1980s he returned to Europe, not as a refugee but as a master, sought out by winemakers across the continent. One of them was Lodovico Antinori, scion of a dynasty that had been making wine in Tuscany since the fourteenth century.

即便到了晚年，切利斯特切夫依然闲不住。20 世纪 80 年代初，他重返欧洲，这次不是以难民身份，而是作为备受欧洲各地酿酒师追捧的大师。其中就包括托斯卡纳地区自 14 世纪就开始酿酒的安蒂诺里家族后裔——洛多维科·安蒂诺里。

Antinori wanted to plant Cabernet Sauvignon in the coastal soils of Bolgheri. After studying the land, Tchelistcheff disagreed. Merlot, he argued, would thrive there. Their debate became almost comic: Antinori crossed out “Merlot” on the vineyard map and scribbled “Cabernet,” while Tchelistcheff crossed it back again. In the end, the Russian émigré prevailed.

安蒂诺里想在保格利海岸的土壤上种植赤霞珠。经过实地考察后，切利斯特切夫持反对意见。他认为梅洛葡萄会更适应当地环境。两人的争论近乎滑稽：安蒂诺里在葡萄园规划图上划掉"梅洛"写上"赤霞珠"，而切利斯特切夫又将其改回"梅洛"。最终，这位俄罗斯移民赢得了这场辩论。

The result was Masseto, a bold Merlot that stunned the wine world. Today it is considered one of Italy’s most prized and expensive wines – a legacy born not in Florence or Bordeaux, but from the instincts of an old exile from Moscow.

成果便是马赛托（Masseto）——一款令葡萄酒界震惊的大胆梅洛。如今它被视为意大利最珍贵且昂贵的葡萄酒之一，这一传奇并非诞生于佛罗伦萨或波尔多，而是源自一位莫斯科老移民的直觉。

Legacy of a Russian Maestro

俄罗斯酿酒大师的传奇遗产

Despite his fame, wealth, and influence, Tchelistcheff never owned a vineyard of his own. Friends urged him to, but he always refused. “I am a child of revolution,” he explained.

尽管声名显赫、财富雄厚且影响力巨大，切利斯特切夫却从未拥有过自己的葡萄园。朋友们多次劝说，但他总是拒绝。"我是革命的孩子，"他解释道。

“I know what it means to lose everything overnight. I don’t have a cellar, I don’t have a vineyard, I have nothing. All I have is my mind.”

"我深知一夜之间失去一切的滋味。我没有酒窖，没有葡萄园，一无所有。我拥有的只有我的智慧。"

Then, with a smile, he would add: “Well, maybe also a dozen bottles under my bed.”

接着，他会微笑着补充道："嗯，或许我床底下还藏着十几瓶呢。"

Andre Tchelistcheff died in Napa Valley in 1994, at the age of ninety-two – the place where he had arrived as an outsider and which he helped turn into one of the world’s great wine regions. To generations of winemakers, he remained simply The Maestro: the Russian émigré who gave America a wine culture and, in doing so, proved that the New World could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Old.

安德烈·切利斯特切夫于 1994 年在纳帕谷去世，享年 92 岁——这片他初来乍到时被视为外来者的土地，在他手中蜕变为世界顶级葡萄酒产区之一。对于几代酿酒师而言，他始终是那个被尊称为"大师"的人：这位俄罗斯移民为美国注入了葡萄酒文化，并以此证明新世界足以与旧世界比肩而立。

Maxim Semenov
By Maxim Semenov, a Russian journalist covering international affairs, post-Soviet politics, and regional history.

作者马克西姆·谢苗诺夫，俄罗斯记者，专注国际事务、后苏联政治及区域历史研究。