It's Time

I haven't posted in awhile. My latest letter to the editor was published today, after sitting in queue for almost three weeks.

Harvest report. It's been an odd growing season, but I have started the harvest. The sugar levels are down this year. Typically I like to harvest grapes with a brix level of 26 - 28, this year, I will harvest 22 - 24. This will still make nice wine, it will just end up being a "lighter" style.

To date I have harvested about 400 lbs of Zinfandel, and 75 pounds of Cabernet. I'm making some White Zinfandel for the first time this year, so after destemming the grapes, I'm extracting some of the "free run" grape juice, and making the White Zin from this. The remaining Zinfandel grape must will now have a higher ratio of skin to juice, so this will help extract darker colors, and a more fully flavored wine (in theory anyway).

The rest of the Estate grown grapes will be harvested this weekend.

I'm making white wine for the first time too. I have purchased 1000 lbs of Vermentino, which is a grape native to Sardinia. The initial tastes after fermentation are quite promising. I also have purchased 500 lbs of Roussanne. The Vermentino will be bottled 2 months after fermentation, while the Roussanne will be aged on Oak for probably 6 months before bottling.

It's been a few years since I made Tempranillo, but I'm doing so again this year, in addition to Petite Sirah, Syrah, Barbera, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon.