Here's the latest in our video blog from the ranch!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
World of Pinot Noir
My friend Elizabeth and I poured Pinot AND Syrah this past Saturday at the World of Pinot Noir in Pismo Beach. It was great to reconnect with many of my SoCal customers and to meet many new fans who enjoyed the wines. Both the 2006 and 2007 wines were very well received.
We were in the Ballroom at the Cliffs Resort (actually in Shell Beach, just north of Pismo) rather than out in the tents overlooking the ocean. When the rains started, the Ballroom became quite crowded! Lamb chops were being served inside, so there was a lot of interest in the Syrah...! The recent awards that the wines won at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition didn't hurt!
We were staying at the Kon Tiki Inn, which is my little secret at WOPN. All rooms are oceanfront, and the amenities are outstanding, with a pool and two hot tubs overlooking the beach, and a full fitness club with tennis, racquetball, a lap pool and all of the usual fitness club accoutrements. We had to leave fairly early Sunday morning for the long drive back to Petaluma.
When I got back, I was able to help celebrate Liana's 13th birthday. Oh... My... God!... I am the father of a teenage girl!! HELP!
We were in the Ballroom at the Cliffs Resort (actually in Shell Beach, just north of Pismo) rather than out in the tents overlooking the ocean. When the rains started, the Ballroom became quite crowded! Lamb chops were being served inside, so there was a lot of interest in the Syrah...! The recent awards that the wines won at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition didn't hurt!
We were staying at the Kon Tiki Inn, which is my little secret at WOPN. All rooms are oceanfront, and the amenities are outstanding, with a pool and two hot tubs overlooking the beach, and a full fitness club with tennis, racquetball, a lap pool and all of the usual fitness club accoutrements. We had to leave fairly early Sunday morning for the long drive back to Petaluma.
When I got back, I was able to help celebrate Liana's 13th birthday. Oh... My... God!... I am the father of a teenage girl!! HELP!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Well I've Been Gone So Very Damn Long...
Moved to a new home in the 'burbs, and I'm livin' out of boxes. My dad's in the hospital, having received a "Ventricular Assist Device", which is basically half of an artificial heart. He was in surgery for about 10 hours on this past Tuesday, and is regaining consciousness now (Friday).
My new digs won't have an internet connection 'til the 10th!!
I'm writing this in the California Pacific Med Center ICU waiting room.
The vineyard is quiet.
The wine is sleeping.
Next weekend, I'll be pouring at World of Pinot Noir in Shell Beach. Come see me there!
My new digs won't have an internet connection 'til the 10th!!
I'm writing this in the California Pacific Med Center ICU waiting room.
The vineyard is quiet.
The wine is sleeping.
Next weekend, I'll be pouring at World of Pinot Noir in Shell Beach. Come see me there!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2010 SF Chronicle Wine Competition
The results are in...
Clary Ranch's 2006 Syrah won the Judges' Choice Award, and the 2006 Pinot Noir won a Gold Medal. Please allow me to burst out in a self-congratulatory exclamation: WOO-HOO!!!
How do wines "compete", anyway? From tasting to tasting, wines are judged differently, by different judges, under different circumstances. Don't get me wrong: I am very pleased with the results. It is one more grain of sand... Okay, maybe a pebble... on the Public Relations Scale. It puts a little more weight behind Clary Ranch.
As the wines "win" more races, the stakes become higher. A "loss" weighs more heavily against a favored entry. The dark horse can come in with little to lose, and everything to gain. And in the final stretch - Okay, enough with the horse racing metaphor...
You've heard it before: buy the wines that taste good to you. Hopefully, the publicity will encourage more people to ask for my wines. (They're doing well in SoCal of late. I'll be making an appearance at a Pinot festival down in Pasadena at the end of this month.) The results of the San Francisco Chronicle Competition mean that I'll be pouring at Fort Mason in San Francisco on February 20th. More later...
Clary Ranch's 2006 Syrah won the Judges' Choice Award, and the 2006 Pinot Noir won a Gold Medal. Please allow me to burst out in a self-congratulatory exclamation: WOO-HOO!!!
How do wines "compete", anyway? From tasting to tasting, wines are judged differently, by different judges, under different circumstances. Don't get me wrong: I am very pleased with the results. It is one more grain of sand... Okay, maybe a pebble... on the Public Relations Scale. It puts a little more weight behind Clary Ranch.
As the wines "win" more races, the stakes become higher. A "loss" weighs more heavily against a favored entry. The dark horse can come in with little to lose, and everything to gain. And in the final stretch - Okay, enough with the horse racing metaphor...
You've heard it before: buy the wines that taste good to you. Hopefully, the publicity will encourage more people to ask for my wines. (They're doing well in SoCal of late. I'll be making an appearance at a Pinot festival down in Pasadena at the end of this month.) The results of the San Francisco Chronicle Competition mean that I'll be pouring at Fort Mason in San Francisco on February 20th. More later...
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
2009 Ends...
It's been a challenging year.
In the vineyard, things went very well. Budburst was late, and the season remained late to the end. Spring was mild, unlike in 2008. Frost events were not excessive. There were no significant heat spikes, but the weather was warm in the late summer. There was a bit of unusually early rain, but with luck and a bit of diligence, the grapes made it through just fine. The vineyard yields were right where we wanted them. Bird pressure was not bad. The 2009 wines are tasting very good.
I began working with a new custom-crush facility, and in a joint venture with them, began my first foray into white wine with a Carneros Chardonnay grown by my friend and fellow meditator, Paul Larson. The vineyard is just east of Schellville at the southern end of Sonoma Valley, where the valley opens up to the grasslands abutting San Pablo Bay. We are working to produce a delicate wine that retains the fruit characteristics of Chardonnay with just a light touch of the smooth complexity that is usually "over the top" in a butter & oak bomb. Just 20% of it is being barrel-fermented and going through complete malolactic fermentation, and the remaining 80% is in stainless steel tanks. These constituents will be blended to make our finished wine.
It is tasting fantastic now, as we stir the lees in the barrels. I am very excited about the progress of this delicious wine.
The Pinot and Syrah hit their numbers perfectly. We picked the Pinot on October 30th & 31st - a Halloween wine! The Syrah came off the vine on November 11th. Both wines are now aging, and will remain so for all of 2010. Flavors and colors are deep! I'll taste and report as the year progresses.
In the vineyard and in the winery, things are looking and tasting great!
So what's the challenge? The wine market. These wines are expensive to produce, and large segments of the buying public have traded down to price points that don't support this level of viticulture and winemaking. I'm hopeful that the improving economy will encourage more wine aficionados to return to the wines that exhibit the passion and terroir that come with small batch, hands-on methods.
Lift your glass (filled with Clary Ranch wine, of course!) in a toast:
May the Coming Year be Filled with Joy, Health & Prosperity for All!
Happy New Year!
-Paul
In the vineyard, things went very well. Budburst was late, and the season remained late to the end. Spring was mild, unlike in 2008. Frost events were not excessive. There were no significant heat spikes, but the weather was warm in the late summer. There was a bit of unusually early rain, but with luck and a bit of diligence, the grapes made it through just fine. The vineyard yields were right where we wanted them. Bird pressure was not bad. The 2009 wines are tasting very good.
I began working with a new custom-crush facility, and in a joint venture with them, began my first foray into white wine with a Carneros Chardonnay grown by my friend and fellow meditator, Paul Larson. The vineyard is just east of Schellville at the southern end of Sonoma Valley, where the valley opens up to the grasslands abutting San Pablo Bay. We are working to produce a delicate wine that retains the fruit characteristics of Chardonnay with just a light touch of the smooth complexity that is usually "over the top" in a butter & oak bomb. Just 20% of it is being barrel-fermented and going through complete malolactic fermentation, and the remaining 80% is in stainless steel tanks. These constituents will be blended to make our finished wine.
It is tasting fantastic now, as we stir the lees in the barrels. I am very excited about the progress of this delicious wine.
The Pinot and Syrah hit their numbers perfectly. We picked the Pinot on October 30th & 31st - a Halloween wine! The Syrah came off the vine on November 11th. Both wines are now aging, and will remain so for all of 2010. Flavors and colors are deep! I'll taste and report as the year progresses.
In the vineyard and in the winery, things are looking and tasting great!
So what's the challenge? The wine market. These wines are expensive to produce, and large segments of the buying public have traded down to price points that don't support this level of viticulture and winemaking. I'm hopeful that the improving economy will encourage more wine aficionados to return to the wines that exhibit the passion and terroir that come with small batch, hands-on methods.
Lift your glass (filled with Clary Ranch wine, of course!) in a toast:
May the Coming Year be Filled with Joy, Health & Prosperity for All!
Happy New Year!
-Paul
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Steel Drum Memories
After a week on Antigua, I spent a week on Sint Maarten. The two islands are very different! On Antigua, we were right on a splendid beach, with jungle transitioning to sand transitioning to azure seas. On St. Maarten, we were in 4-star accommodations overlooking Simpson Bay, with a "Las Vegas"-style skyline on the far shore. Antigua, the more primitive of the two, is more expensive; St. Maarten is cheaper than the U.S. for many things!
At retail, wines from California were overpriced in general (K-J California Pinot: $40), and French wines were less expensive. BUT... on a restaurant wine list, I was able to find a Pinot scoring 90 pts (WS) from Oregon for under $140, while those comparably scored from France were $395 to $2830. California Pinots scoring 85 to 87 were priced at $50-$80. The French bottle for $2830 was Chateau Petrus, which scored 90 pts. Just goes to show what a name can command!
We took a day trip from St. Maarten to the island of Saba (pronounced: Say-ba). Saba is a 5-square-mile volcanic rock: no beaches, just cliffs plunging into the sea. In the middle of Saba, which is inhabited by a mere 1400 people, is a Medical School - the main economic engine of the island. Surrounding the island to a depth of 200 feet is a marine preserve. Below the water's surface lie some of the world's most beautiful, pristine coral reefs. Diving with "Saba Deep", we encountered a profusion of colorful sponges, coral, fish, eels, lobsters, molluscs, turtles... Truly a spectacular dive destination! After our second dive, we rushed back to the harbor to catch the waiting afternoon ferry, knowing that we would someday return.
I got back to rainy California this past Saturday, arriving at my home around midnight. On the drive home, as I passed the Loomis house, the light was on at the barn, indicating that the bar was open. After unloading my luggage at home, I returned to the barn, where a party was in full swing. They were celebrating the graduation of a law enforcement class including Park Rangers, Coast Guard, FBI and Police. I discreetly savored a Cuban cigar and a single malt Scotch while thinking back fondly on my Caribbean travels.
I wonder where I'll be next year after crush...
At retail, wines from California were overpriced in general (K-J California Pinot: $40), and French wines were less expensive. BUT... on a restaurant wine list, I was able to find a Pinot scoring 90 pts (WS) from Oregon for under $140, while those comparably scored from France were $395 to $2830. California Pinots scoring 85 to 87 were priced at $50-$80. The French bottle for $2830 was Chateau Petrus, which scored 90 pts. Just goes to show what a name can command!
We took a day trip from St. Maarten to the island of Saba (pronounced: Say-ba). Saba is a 5-square-mile volcanic rock: no beaches, just cliffs plunging into the sea. In the middle of Saba, which is inhabited by a mere 1400 people, is a Medical School - the main economic engine of the island. Surrounding the island to a depth of 200 feet is a marine preserve. Below the water's surface lie some of the world's most beautiful, pristine coral reefs. Diving with "Saba Deep", we encountered a profusion of colorful sponges, coral, fish, eels, lobsters, molluscs, turtles... Truly a spectacular dive destination! After our second dive, we rushed back to the harbor to catch the waiting afternoon ferry, knowing that we would someday return.
I got back to rainy California this past Saturday, arriving at my home around midnight. On the drive home, as I passed the Loomis house, the light was on at the barn, indicating that the bar was open. After unloading my luggage at home, I returned to the barn, where a party was in full swing. They were celebrating the graduation of a law enforcement class including Park Rangers, Coast Guard, FBI and Police. I discreetly savored a Cuban cigar and a single malt Scotch while thinking back fondly on my Caribbean travels.
I wonder where I'll be next year after crush...
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Post-Crush Excursion
When the Harvest is done, and the Wine is finished fermenting and put to bed for the winter, I like to get far away from the vineyard.
This year, I'm in the Caribbean, writing this from Dickinson's Bay on Antigua. I've done some scuba diving, and I've been sampling the local rum. Last night, I had dinner at a restaurant over the water. The wine list showed about 8 reds, one from Lodi & the rest from Europe, Argentina and Australia. I ordered a Montipulciano, and as a backup, a Bordeaux. Turns out that they only had three wines on the list... the Lodi Cab, an Australian Shiraz and an Argentinian Pinot.
I went with the Australian Shiraz, which turned out to be a Shiraz-Cab blend. We are spoiled in California for wines, but the weather is definitely so much nicer here right now!
Going to English Harbor tomorrow, where we'll see an 18th-century dockyard once home to the future Admiral Horatio Nelson. The rum is good, and the ocean is warm!
This year, I'm in the Caribbean, writing this from Dickinson's Bay on Antigua. I've done some scuba diving, and I've been sampling the local rum. Last night, I had dinner at a restaurant over the water. The wine list showed about 8 reds, one from Lodi & the rest from Europe, Argentina and Australia. I ordered a Montipulciano, and as a backup, a Bordeaux. Turns out that they only had three wines on the list... the Lodi Cab, an Australian Shiraz and an Argentinian Pinot.
I went with the Australian Shiraz, which turned out to be a Shiraz-Cab blend. We are spoiled in California for wines, but the weather is definitely so much nicer here right now!
Going to English Harbor tomorrow, where we'll see an 18th-century dockyard once home to the future Admiral Horatio Nelson. The rum is good, and the ocean is warm!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Pressing the Pinot
Fermentation of the Pinot is very near completion. We're going to press slightly sweet and allow the fementation to finish in settling tanks. We pump off the free run Pinot Noir into the tanks.
Next comes the arduous task of shoveling the pomace into two water-pressure bladder presses. When the presses are filled, the lids are clamped down and the water is turned on, filling the bladders and compacting the pomace.
The wine runs out into collection buckets, and is pumped into the settling tanks. At first, the wine is purple with sediment, but as the press run nears completion the color changes to a redder hue. The press wine is slightly sweet and very delicious. The water presses don't get as high of a pressure as other presses, insuring a gentle squeezing of the pomace and avoiding the bitterness that can result from rougher handling.
The wine will sit in the tanks for a few days, then we'll rack to maturation tanks. The maturation tanks are made of oxygen-permeable HDPE and take on oxygen at a rate very similar to that of a two-year-old oak barrel. I have been very pleased with the results from these tanks in previous vintages. With a high-quality French Oak barrel costing near $1000 these days, and with consumers trading down in price points, a lot of vintners I know are looking more and more at ways of keeping costs of production under control, while keeping wine quality high. These tanks, while not traditional, are nonetheless a good addition to our array of winemaking tools.
The Syrah is cranking up. We inoculate with malolactic bacteria (var. "Alpha") today.
Next comes the arduous task of shoveling the pomace into two water-pressure bladder presses. When the presses are filled, the lids are clamped down and the water is turned on, filling the bladders and compacting the pomace.
The wine runs out into collection buckets, and is pumped into the settling tanks. At first, the wine is purple with sediment, but as the press run nears completion the color changes to a redder hue. The press wine is slightly sweet and very delicious. The water presses don't get as high of a pressure as other presses, insuring a gentle squeezing of the pomace and avoiding the bitterness that can result from rougher handling.
The wine will sit in the tanks for a few days, then we'll rack to maturation tanks. The maturation tanks are made of oxygen-permeable HDPE and take on oxygen at a rate very similar to that of a two-year-old oak barrel. I have been very pleased with the results from these tanks in previous vintages. With a high-quality French Oak barrel costing near $1000 these days, and with consumers trading down in price points, a lot of vintners I know are looking more and more at ways of keeping costs of production under control, while keeping wine quality high. These tanks, while not traditional, are nonetheless a good addition to our array of winemaking tools.
The Syrah is cranking up. We inoculate with malolactic bacteria (var. "Alpha") today.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Harvesting Syrah, Part Two
With more rains in the forecast, I decided to harvest the last of the Syrah on the morning of November 9th. We harvested about 4-1/2 tons by noon. The fruit looked and tasted fantastic. It was the end of our longest year.
At the winery, I broke out a sixer of Spaten Octoberfestbier. It takes a lot of good beer to make good wine. We weighed the grapes and set them aside to crush in the morning.
Jared called me on the 10th; the grapes came in at 23.8 degrees Brix! (One week earlier, the sugar readings were two points lower.) There was one row where we left 30-40% more grapes hanging, in order to check out the effect of less-aggressive cluster thinning. There was no difference in sugar content. We're fermenting that batch separately, so we'll do taste comparisons to get a subjective reading on phenolic development. When all is said and done, we'll have learned something useful about crop load on the Syrah.
The Syrah is fermenting away and the Pinot is almost ready to press...
At the winery, I broke out a sixer of Spaten Octoberfestbier. It takes a lot of good beer to make good wine. We weighed the grapes and set them aside to crush in the morning.
Jared called me on the 10th; the grapes came in at 23.8 degrees Brix! (One week earlier, the sugar readings were two points lower.) There was one row where we left 30-40% more grapes hanging, in order to check out the effect of less-aggressive cluster thinning. There was no difference in sugar content. We're fermenting that batch separately, so we'll do taste comparisons to get a subjective reading on phenolic development. When all is said and done, we'll have learned something useful about crop load on the Syrah.
The Syrah is fermenting away and the Pinot is almost ready to press...
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Harvesting Syrah, Part One
Duncan Meyers, the winemaker for Arnot-Roberts, called for picking on Wednesday, November 4th. We began picking in the morning, harvesting about 1-1/2 tons, and finished by 11 am. The sugar was at about 21.8 degrees Brix. I decided to take further advantage of the beautiful weather that we had been having, leaving my allotment to hang awhile longer.
The next day, light rains began. I was concerned for the grapes, but then, Syrah is a thick-skinned varietal, and the bunches are looser than Pinot Noir, so I felt optimistic that we'd be okay. The birds seemed to be content to browse in the already-picked Pinot blocks, and I held my breath and crossed my fingers...
The next few days, we had more warm weather.
The next day, light rains began. I was concerned for the grapes, but then, Syrah is a thick-skinned varietal, and the bunches are looser than Pinot Noir, so I felt optimistic that we'd be okay. The birds seemed to be content to browse in the already-picked Pinot blocks, and I held my breath and crossed my fingers...
The next few days, we had more warm weather.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Harvesting Pinot
Elizabeth and I drove back from San Diego, leaving at 11pm, arriving in Santa Rosa at about 7 in the morning. We were just in time to give Elizabeth's daughter, Laura, her Halloween costume to wear at school.
Elizabeth received her Open Water Diver certification on the trip. USA Oceanside, the dive center where she studied, was great. They also specialize in training disabled divers, so we'll likely go back again if Laura wants to try diving. Two of my kids, Patrick and Liana, are certified divers. Olivia and Christopher aren't so sure about taking the plunge!
Anyway, I finally got back to the ranch at about 9 am, and laid down for an hour-long nap, and was up after that to prepare for the evening's harvest. We started after dark, at about 8 pm. On Halloween morning, we had about 13 tons of Pinot ready to deliver to the wineries. At 8 pm on Halloween, we began harvesting again, and on the morning of El Dia de los Muertos, we had another 10 tons ready, signaling the end of 2009's Pinot Noir harvest. This was the latest harvest ever for Clary Ranch Pinot, and was the culmination of a near-perfect season. The October rains were a challenge, but the grapes came through beautifully.
Elizabeth received her Open Water Diver certification on the trip. USA Oceanside, the dive center where she studied, was great. They also specialize in training disabled divers, so we'll likely go back again if Laura wants to try diving. Two of my kids, Patrick and Liana, are certified divers. Olivia and Christopher aren't so sure about taking the plunge!
Anyway, I finally got back to the ranch at about 9 am, and laid down for an hour-long nap, and was up after that to prepare for the evening's harvest. We started after dark, at about 8 pm. On Halloween morning, we had about 13 tons of Pinot ready to deliver to the wineries. At 8 pm on Halloween, we began harvesting again, and on the morning of El Dia de los Muertos, we had another 10 tons ready, signaling the end of 2009's Pinot Noir harvest. This was the latest harvest ever for Clary Ranch Pinot, and was the culmination of a near-perfect season. The October rains were a challenge, but the grapes came through beautifully.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Mid September to Late November
Jared called for harvest on Wednesday, the 28th of October. I should remember that I cannot make any plans from the middle of September until late November... I should remember. Note to self: Don't make any plans from the middle of September until late November!
Well, the Pinot Noir harvest was certainly going to be done by now! I was certain of it! We were going to be in the middle of the lull between the Pinot and the Syrah. With my plans to head out to the Caribbean with Elizabeth and friends after Thanksgiving, it's the perfect time to take a quick jaunt to San Diego in order to get Elizabeth's scuba certification! We'll leave on the 27th, drive down to stay with my friend, Rob, in Oceanside. Rob has recommended a dive instructor, and the water is warmer down there. Elizabeth has arranged to have her Mom stay with Laura, Elizabeth's daughter. We'll drive back up on Friday, the 30th...
I told Jared that we'll pick Friday night. He's okay with that.
Whew!
Well, the Pinot Noir harvest was certainly going to be done by now! I was certain of it! We were going to be in the middle of the lull between the Pinot and the Syrah. With my plans to head out to the Caribbean with Elizabeth and friends after Thanksgiving, it's the perfect time to take a quick jaunt to San Diego in order to get Elizabeth's scuba certification! We'll leave on the 27th, drive down to stay with my friend, Rob, in Oceanside. Rob has recommended a dive instructor, and the water is warmer down there. Elizabeth has arranged to have her Mom stay with Laura, Elizabeth's daughter. We'll drive back up on Friday, the 30th...
I told Jared that we'll pick Friday night. He's okay with that.
Whew!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Green
Jared Souza and Matt Trulli, the two principals of MJ Lords Wine Cellars, are concerned about the Pinot. They've contracted to buy seven tons, and are having second thoughts.
Out here in the Petaluma Gap, there is a green bloom that appears on the ripening grapes. I saw it first many years ago, and was likewise concerned. I brought in a pest control advisor to assess the growth that was apparent. It looked like pennicillin, but what do I know? Rot? Is there something that I can spray? My advisor told me that it was benign; he said not to worry. So I didn't. I've made my wines every year with "the green".
Duncan Meyers, of Arnot-Roberts, buys a portion of the Syrah, and has joked with me about the Petaluma Gap Green. I have no qualms about the fruit and know that it will make delicious wine.
As I think back, I am reminded of the 2007 harvest, when I had contracted to supply fruit to Scott Rich, of Talisman Cellars. I set aside some of my best fruit for him, reserving as much as I reasonably could for myself. My own portion has made some of my most delicious wines ever. Early on, I was very pleased with the results, and I called to check on how Scott was doing with the fermentation. He told me that it was the worst fruit that he had purchased, and that he did not want to pay full price! Such a vast discrepancy in our assessments has mystified me until this year.
Jared and Matt don't have the benefit of my experience with "the green", and are understandably terrified. They've tasted the wines and they see the grapes, and there's a disconnect. The wines are beautiful and the grapes aren't. They've worked out a deal with Drew to take the grapes and make the wine, but if a problem develops, the wine is Drew's - they will not buy it. At least I know that we'll be picking the grapes one way or the other. I think they'll be pleasantly surprised.
Out here in the Petaluma Gap, there is a green bloom that appears on the ripening grapes. I saw it first many years ago, and was likewise concerned. I brought in a pest control advisor to assess the growth that was apparent. It looked like pennicillin, but what do I know? Rot? Is there something that I can spray? My advisor told me that it was benign; he said not to worry. So I didn't. I've made my wines every year with "the green".
Duncan Meyers, of Arnot-Roberts, buys a portion of the Syrah, and has joked with me about the Petaluma Gap Green. I have no qualms about the fruit and know that it will make delicious wine.
As I think back, I am reminded of the 2007 harvest, when I had contracted to supply fruit to Scott Rich, of Talisman Cellars. I set aside some of my best fruit for him, reserving as much as I reasonably could for myself. My own portion has made some of my most delicious wines ever. Early on, I was very pleased with the results, and I called to check on how Scott was doing with the fermentation. He told me that it was the worst fruit that he had purchased, and that he did not want to pay full price! Such a vast discrepancy in our assessments has mystified me until this year.
Jared and Matt don't have the benefit of my experience with "the green", and are understandably terrified. They've tasted the wines and they see the grapes, and there's a disconnect. The wines are beautiful and the grapes aren't. They've worked out a deal with Drew to take the grapes and make the wine, but if a problem develops, the wine is Drew's - they will not buy it. At least I know that we'll be picking the grapes one way or the other. I think they'll be pleasantly surprised.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back!
When I checked the sugar on the Pinot two weeks ago, we were sitting at 21-22 degrees Brix. I'd like to harvest at 22.5-24. Since checking, the weather has been on the cool side, and last Tuesday we had some unseaonably torrential rains. We sprayed a preventive application of a fungicide to protect the grapes from rot in advance of the storm...
I did a small sampling yesterday, and the sugar was a half-degree LOWER!! I figure that the rains caused the grapes to absorb water, reducing the sugar concentration. I was hoping to harvest early this week, but you know the saying: "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." (Actually, the saying is adapted from a line in “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns: “The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley.”)
This morning, Matt Trulli, with MJ Lords Wine Cellars (where I'm doing my custom crush), came by to do a more comprehensive sampling. We'll run more thorough tests, including Brix, pH and Titratable Acidity (T.A.). MJ Lords is buying seven tons of the Pinot, and I'm hanging on to ten tons. I hope that their numbers are more accurate on the upside, of course.
We've got a forecast of a seventy percent chance of rain tomorrow, then sunny weather after that. Come on heatwave!! The Syrah is looking very iffy on getting ripe enough this year, and is currently sitting well under 20 degrees Brix. Thanksgiving Harvest, anyone? Ay Ay Ay!!!
In a little while, I'll head off to pick up Cathy, Patrick and Christopher, and we'll attend an Eagle Court of Honor with our Boy Scout Troop. I've got the kids with me for the upcoming week, starting tonight. Gotta get the house clean NOW.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Fermentations!
We've started the fermentation on the Chardonnay!
We racked off juice into 6 barrels: 4 neutral whites and 2 nearly new Ramonds, whose wood came from the Allier forest in France. This amount of juice represents about 20% of the total, and will go through malolactic (ML) fermentation before being blended back in with the rest of the Chardonnay, which will be cold-fermented in stainless steel. This amount of ML will contribute to the mouthfeel, as will the small amount of oak. Still, the wine should retain a crispness and good acidity to complement the tropical character of the grapes.
We did the racking and the inoculation on Friday. Kristin came with me to the winery and shot some footage. This is all new for her, and it's great to have her enthusiasm around!
Meanwhile, on the home front, it's quickly getting to be time to file my 2008 taxes! Yay!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Crush 2009 Begins
We harvested our Carneros Chardonnay early Tuesday morning. The pickers arrived before dawn, and began the harvest as the sky began to glow. Moving quickly, they sliced the bunches and dropped them into picking lugs.
Picking is hard work compressed into long days. From my own experience, the opportunities for repetitive motion stress injury are plentiful. These guys pick for the big operations at first morning light, and often will do another night shift for us little guys, sleeping in the day if they can. Everybody wants the fruit to come in cold.
By 11AM, the picking was done and the grapes were loaded in 1/2-ton macrobins onto the back of a large flatbed truck. We took delivery of the grapes at Balletto Winery in Sebastopol right at noon. I pulled into the winery just behind the truck. The bins were offloaded and weighed. Our expected 10 tons became 11... the bins were all quite heavy.
Two bladder presses were loaded with whole clusters, and as the sweet nectar gushed, it was pumped directly into a waiting tanker. After several hours on the pad, we had about 1750 gallons of pressed Chardonnay juice ready for transport. From Balletto, the juice was delivered to MJ Lords Wine Cellars, where I'm making my wine this year. We pumped the juice into two stainless-steel tanks to settle for a couple of days. We'll rack the juice and pitch the yeast later today.
This Chardonnay will be about 20% barrel fermented and will undergo a partial malolactic fermentation. I'm looking to preserve the delicious fruit character at lower alcohol levels (12-12.5% vs. 14+) and to avoid the "butter and wood bomb". This juice will make lovely wine!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The Calm Before the Crush
I went out today to Paul Larson's chardonnay vineyard at the end of Burndale Road in Carneros. The road crosses the railroad tracks and ends at a gate that marks the entrance to a gun club. I didn't need the key that Paul had given me, as the gate was open. I drove on through the club and came to the first of two gates that allow passage through a bull pasture. "Keep Gate Closed", said the cardboard signs on the gates. Indeed. No need to have all of that cattle testosterone running amuck.
Paul told me on Saturday that his sampling had come in at 22.2 degrees Brix. A week earlier, it had been at 20.6 degrees. From his experience, the vineyard usually moved one point per week, so the results might have been skewed by sampling error.
I walked up and down the rows, cutting whole clusters and placing them into a cooler that I had brought along. I alternated taking clusters from the north and south sides of the rows, ending up with about twenty clusters. Paul did his sampling in the form of individual berries - about 200 of 'em. I like to take whole clusters; that way, I'm getting results that represent the grapes on the interior of the cluster as well as those that are accessible on the exterior.
With my little cooler full, I made my way back to the truck. I drove back the way I had come, making sure that the gates were closed behind me. As I approached Highway 121, I stopped at Homewood Winery. Paul had told me that Dave Homewood had purchased fruit from him in the past, and I took it upon myself to drop in for a chat if he happened to be there. He was working on the crushpad while an entourage from a tour van was entering the tasting room.
We talked briefly about the fruit and about the yeasts that he liked to use. "For many years, I really liked Wadenswil, but then they stopped producing it", he offered,"so last year, I went with QA23. They both really bring out the aromatics of the fruit." Just then, the tour driver interrupted to ask if Dave could come to the tasting room to chat with his passengers. "Sorry I can't talk more...", he started. "No problem! In this economy we're fortunate to have such interruptions", I replied, "Was that QA24?" "Question and Answer Twenty Three!" he hollered cheerfully as he turned the corner toward the tasting room. Got it.
I took my grape sample directly to the winery, waited 'til Jared, the house winemaker, returned from lunch, and handed off the clusters to him for testing. Before I left, I took one cluster in hand and squeezed the juice into a bucket. I dunked my refractometer into the sweet liquid. Holding the refractometer up, I peered into the eyepiece. 22.7, it read. I tipped the bucket and poured the juice into my mouth, straining out the seeds with my teeth. It was bursting with cool, refreshing flavors of peach, pineapple and mango!
Later this evening, I spoke with Jared. The readings: pH was 3.23, Titratable Acidity was 8.1, and Brix was 22.8. The grapes are ready as soon as we can get pickers, which will be Tuesday, according to Paul.
I'm excited about the prospects for these grapes. I've got to Google "Wadenswil".
Paul told me on Saturday that his sampling had come in at 22.2 degrees Brix. A week earlier, it had been at 20.6 degrees. From his experience, the vineyard usually moved one point per week, so the results might have been skewed by sampling error.
I walked up and down the rows, cutting whole clusters and placing them into a cooler that I had brought along. I alternated taking clusters from the north and south sides of the rows, ending up with about twenty clusters. Paul did his sampling in the form of individual berries - about 200 of 'em. I like to take whole clusters; that way, I'm getting results that represent the grapes on the interior of the cluster as well as those that are accessible on the exterior.
With my little cooler full, I made my way back to the truck. I drove back the way I had come, making sure that the gates were closed behind me. As I approached Highway 121, I stopped at Homewood Winery. Paul had told me that Dave Homewood had purchased fruit from him in the past, and I took it upon myself to drop in for a chat if he happened to be there. He was working on the crushpad while an entourage from a tour van was entering the tasting room.
We talked briefly about the fruit and about the yeasts that he liked to use. "For many years, I really liked Wadenswil, but then they stopped producing it", he offered,"so last year, I went with QA23. They both really bring out the aromatics of the fruit." Just then, the tour driver interrupted to ask if Dave could come to the tasting room to chat with his passengers. "Sorry I can't talk more...", he started. "No problem! In this economy we're fortunate to have such interruptions", I replied, "Was that QA24?" "Question and Answer Twenty Three!" he hollered cheerfully as he turned the corner toward the tasting room. Got it.
I took my grape sample directly to the winery, waited 'til Jared, the house winemaker, returned from lunch, and handed off the clusters to him for testing. Before I left, I took one cluster in hand and squeezed the juice into a bucket. I dunked my refractometer into the sweet liquid. Holding the refractometer up, I peered into the eyepiece. 22.7, it read. I tipped the bucket and poured the juice into my mouth, straining out the seeds with my teeth. It was bursting with cool, refreshing flavors of peach, pineapple and mango!
Later this evening, I spoke with Jared. The readings: pH was 3.23, Titratable Acidity was 8.1, and Brix was 22.8. The grapes are ready as soon as we can get pickers, which will be Tuesday, according to Paul.
I'm excited about the prospects for these grapes. I've got to Google "Wadenswil".
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Winemaker Dinner
Friday, Sept. 18...
There were 18 of us gathered at Central Market at 6 PM. We sat down to a four-course meal prepared for us by Tony Najiola, chef & owner. The menu varied slightly from what I posted earlier... First came Slow Cooked King Salmon with Italian Butter Beans and a pinot-marrow jus, paired with both the 2004 and 2006 Clary Ranch Pinot Noirs. The 2004 is my big "cocktail" Pinot, with a full body that would satisfy a Cab lover. The 2006 came out in more of a classic Burgundian style, lighter and more delicate. The salmon was done perfectly tender with a spice rub - Delicious!
Next came Pan Roasted Liberty Duck Breast with a fennel-potato gratin and green peppercorns. This was, without a doubt, the best duck I have ever had! It was paired with the 2004 and 2006 Clary Ranch Syrahs. I've always loved my Syrahs with a steak or with lamb. This pairing was a winning surprise. The duck was done medium rare and was reminiscent of a marinated slow cooked pork tenderloin. Yowza!
The third course was a palate-cleansing savory seeded gougere (a cheese puff) over a bed of local greens... which was followed by the piece de resistance:
a Warm Gravenstein Apple Galette with Prune Ice Cream paired with Vin de Noix. There were flavors exploding in my mouth; flavors that seemed to come out of nowhere - the product of whatever chemistry resulted from the unique combination of the Galette and the Vin de Noix. I had to go back and taste the individual components to see where the flavors were coming from, and THEY WEREN'T THERE! It was only in combination that the most complex flavors were revealed. WOW!
After dinner, we walked along the river over to Graffiti for a cocktail and more lively conversation. Graffiti was the first restaurant to carry my wine, and will always hold a special place in my heart. The setting is beautiful, overlooking the Petaluma River turning basin. All in all, it was a wonderful evening with good fellowship, great food, and some wonderful wines (if I do say so myself).
There were 18 of us gathered at Central Market at 6 PM. We sat down to a four-course meal prepared for us by Tony Najiola, chef & owner. The menu varied slightly from what I posted earlier... First came Slow Cooked King Salmon with Italian Butter Beans and a pinot-marrow jus, paired with both the 2004 and 2006 Clary Ranch Pinot Noirs. The 2004 is my big "cocktail" Pinot, with a full body that would satisfy a Cab lover. The 2006 came out in more of a classic Burgundian style, lighter and more delicate. The salmon was done perfectly tender with a spice rub - Delicious!
Next came Pan Roasted Liberty Duck Breast with a fennel-potato gratin and green peppercorns. This was, without a doubt, the best duck I have ever had! It was paired with the 2004 and 2006 Clary Ranch Syrahs. I've always loved my Syrahs with a steak or with lamb. This pairing was a winning surprise. The duck was done medium rare and was reminiscent of a marinated slow cooked pork tenderloin. Yowza!The third course was a palate-cleansing savory seeded gougere (a cheese puff) over a bed of local greens... which was followed by the piece de resistance:
a Warm Gravenstein Apple Galette with Prune Ice Cream paired with Vin de Noix. There were flavors exploding in my mouth; flavors that seemed to come out of nowhere - the product of whatever chemistry resulted from the unique combination of the Galette and the Vin de Noix. I had to go back and taste the individual components to see where the flavors were coming from, and THEY WEREN'T THERE! It was only in combination that the most complex flavors were revealed. WOW!
After dinner, we walked along the river over to Graffiti for a cocktail and more lively conversation. Graffiti was the first restaurant to carry my wine, and will always hold a special place in my heart. The setting is beautiful, overlooking the Petaluma River turning basin. All in all, it was a wonderful evening with good fellowship, great food, and some wonderful wines (if I do say so myself).
Thursday, September 17, 2009
News Flash! Chardonnay for 2009!
This morning, I went out to a friend's vineyard in the Carneros, where he is growing the Wente clone of Chardonnay. The vineyard is on very shallow soils, and is at the southern edge of the grapegrowing area of Sonoma Carneros. I'm going to do a joint venture with MJ Lords, who are handling my custom crush this year, on ten tons of these grapes, which will net Clary Ranch Wines about 250-300 cases of Chardonnay. We are intending to press the juice at Baletto Winery, then truck it to MJ Lords, where we'll cold-ferment in stainless, with maybe a small fraction in barrels. We're not looking to produce a butter-bomb, so we'll halt malolactic fermentation early on with Lysozyme and sulfites. I intend to use a very light touch when it comes to oak, so I'll bottle much earlier than I do my reds.
The Chardonnay grapes are at about 21 degrees Brix, and we'll harvest soon. I'll be happy with 22-22.5, and that should be in about a week-and-a-half.
Crush is imminent!
The Chardonnay grapes are at about 21 degrees Brix, and we'll harvest soon. I'll be happy with 22-22.5, and that should be in about a week-and-a-half.
Crush is imminent!
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