One wheel in hand and eight on the ground...2022 Wine Making Season

[crushday]

I'll be traveling to North Central California (10 hour drive) in a couple days to pick up my order of grapes. On this run I'm getting these varieties:

1. Cab Franc (macro bin)
2. Petite Sirah (macro bin)
3. Mourvèdre (macro bin)

My plan on the Cab Franc is to pull 10% as a Saignée. This will provide a concentration on the remaining red wine and produce an early drinker as a Rose'.

The Petite Sirah continues my quest for an amazing wine made from this difficult variety. The Mourvèdre will be part of a planned GSM blend (225L barrel) as well as a single variety. Also, the Mourvèdre will help produce a Rose' made using the Saignée (10%) method. I'm not really a fan of Rose' wines but I am a fan of big bombastic red wines. BTW, I also like my coffee dark, hot and uninterrupted by adjuncts.

Yeast will be Harmony from Chr. Hansen. (see pic)
MLB will be CH16, co-inoculated on the first strong cap on Cab Franc and Mourvèdre. I will add bacteria to the Petite Sirah post ferment. The PS can be a tannic monster and I don't want the wine on the skins and seeds any longer than necessary. Co-inoculation adds about 4-5 days to the prepress fermentation. I suppose that's only true since I use the condition of the cap as my guide to tell me when to press.

If you care to follow my trip and wine journey, please join in. This Sunday will be Crush Day at Crushdays!

 

[NorCal]

Looking forward to it @crushday!

 

[Busabill]

I'll be traveling to North Central California (10 hour drive) in a couple days to pick up my order of grapes. This year I'm getting these varieties:

1. Cab Franc (macro bin)
2. Petite Sirah (macro bin)
3. Mourvèdre (macro bin)

My plan on the Cab Franc is to pull 10% as a Saignée. This will provide a concentration on the remaining red wine and produce an early drinker as a Rose'.

The Petite Sirah continues my quest for an amazing wine made from this difficult variety. The Mourvèdre will be part of a planned GSM blend (225L barrel) as well as a single variety. Also, the Mourvèdre will help produce a Rose' made using the Saignée (10%) method. I'm not really a fan of Rose' wines but I am a fan of big bombastic red wines. BTW, I also like my coffee dark, hot and uninterrupted by adjuncts.

Yeast will be Harmony from Chr. Hansen. (see pic)
MLB will be CH16, co-inoculated on the first strong cap on Cab Franc and Mourvèdre. I will add bacteria to the Petite Sirah post ferment. The PS can be a tannic monster and I don't want the wine on the skins and seeds any longer than necessary. Co-inoculation adds about 4-5 days to the prepress fermentation. I suppose that's only true since I use the condition of the cap as my guide to tell me when to press.

If you care to follow my trip and wine journey, please join in. This weekend will be Crush Day at Crushdays!


View attachment 92028

Looking forward to it!

 

[Gilmango]

Commenting to follow the journey, loved your write up from last year's journey to NorCal!

As I said last year, your epic trip from WA down to CA helped inspire me to get my ass out of bed before 5 a.m. so I could hand pick some grapes in Brentwood/Oakley/Livermore area (Brentwood Mourvedre last fall). And I am set to do that again this year, but probably a different varietal or two (after only making kit wines for my first half dozen wines).

 

[ibglowin]

So the burning question is why are you driving 10 hours South when you could drive 3 hours East for as good if not better quality grapes!

I'll be traveling to North Central California (10 hour drive) in a couple days to pick up my order of grapes. This year I'm getting these varieties:

1. Cab Franc (macro bin)
2. Petite Sirah (macro bin)
3. Mourvèdre (macro bin)

My plan on the Cab Franc is to pull 10% as a Saignée. This will provide a concentration on the remaining red wine and produce an early drinker as a Rose'.

The Petite Sirah continues my quest for an amazing wine made from this difficult variety. The Mourvèdre will be part of a planned GSM blend (225L barrel) as well as a single variety. Also, the Mourvèdre will help produce a Rose' made using the Saignée (10%) method. I'm not really a fan of Rose' wines but I am a fan of big bombastic red wines. BTW, I also like my coffee dark, hot and uninterrupted by adjuncts.

Yeast will be Harmony from Chr. Hansen. (see pic)
MLB will be CH16, co-inoculated on the first strong cap on Cab Franc and Mourvèdre. I will add bacteria to the Petite Sirah post ferment. The PS can be a tannic monster and I don't want the wine on the skins and seeds any longer than necessary. Co-inoculation adds about 4-5 days to the prepress fermentation. I suppose that's only true since I use the condition of the cap as my guide to tell me when to press.

If you care to follow my trip and wine journey, please join in. This weekend will be Crush Day at Crushdays!


View attachment 92028

 

[crushday]

So the burning question is why are you driving 10 hours South when you could drive 3 hours East for as good if not better quality grapes!

Fair question. Many facets to the answer. Friendship with other winemakers from that area is high on the list. Additionally, the Cab Franc grown in the Sierra Foothills AVA has a unique flavor profile due to terroir and weather conditions. It's very good.

And, I get my share of great grapes from other regions in Eastern Washington such as Walla Walla, Rattlesnake Hills and Red Mountain. Other grapes come from Eastern Oregon (Columbia basin) and Northwestern Oregon (Willamette Valley) as well as prized areas of California (Lodi, Knights Valley, Glen Oaks and Oaks Knoll) as recent (2020 and 2021) examples.

Circling back, the ability to swap wine with other winemakers is a benefit allowing my cellar and winemaking skills continue to expand and improve. Also, I'm an adventurer at heart, don't mind the road and love time away from my professional life. The 20 hour round trip clicks a lot of boxes...

 

[ibglowin]

This translates to something like..........

Fair question. Many facets to the answer. Friendship with other winemakers from that area is high on the list. Additionally, the Cab Franc grown in the Sierra Foothills AVA has a unique flavor profile due to terroir and weather conditions. It's very good.

And, I get my share of great grapes from other regions in Eastern Washington such as Walla Walla, Rattlesnake Hills and Red Mountain. Other grapes come from Eastern Oregon (Columbia basin) and Northwestern Oregon (Willamette Valley) as well as prized areas of California (Lodi, Knights Valley, Glen Oaks and Oaks Knoll) as recent (2020 and 2021) examples.

Circling back, the ability to swap wine with other winemakers is a benefit allowing my cellar and winemaking skills continue to rise.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Only 4 wheels on the ground? Unless you have a big flatbed truck I'd have thought you'd need a trailer to haul 1.5T of grapes...

Good luck with this year's trucking and winemaking!

 

[Kraffty]

following, especially interested in the rose, planning an attempt at a grenache rose this year. Similar strategy fermenting mostly as a white with a small separate amount fermented on skins to blend back in for desired color. Looks like you're running a few weeks ahead of us down here.

 

[crushday]

Only 4 wheels on the ground? Unless you have a big flatbed truck I'd have thought you'd need a trailer to haul 1.5T of grapes...

Good luck with this year's trucking and winemaking!

I figured my error in the title would eventually be noticed and mentioned. I totally neglected my trailer...Opps! And, the title field is not editable.

 

[ibglowin]

I figured my error in the title would eventually be noticed and mentioned. I totally neglected my trailer...Opps! And, the title field is not editable.

How many wheels on the trailer?

 

[crushday]

How many wheels on the trailer?

trailer has four wheels.

 

[ibglowin]

trailer has four wheels.

Better now? Assuming your not driving a dually.

 

[crushday]

Better now? Assuming your not driving a dually.

THANKS! - No dually. I appreciate it.

 

[crushday]

Update:

I heard from the vineyard managers yesterday that actually the Mourvèdre isn't quite ripe. The Brix over the weekend came in between 25 and 26. Several confirmation tests proved it was only 22. Everyone was suspicious of the Saturday reading considering the week before the average brix was 17. While a 5 point jump is likely, 8 or 9 points would be a head scratcher.

So...no Mourvèdre this trip. But...the Petit Verdot is ready. PV (1/2 bin) is on my list too, so I'll just grab it now instead of later and get the 'Ved later instead of now. Staying grateful and flexible.

Lastly, I'll be hitting the road at 4am on Friday morning (August 26). I want to get through the Portland Metroplex before traffic takes on the characteristic of my arteries after a nice meal of Fettuccini Alfredo and shrimp sautéed in butter. At the wrong time of day, it can take 2-3 hours on I-5 from Portland to Salem. Not fun.

 

[NorCal]

@crushday the barn opens at 5:00 and I'm planning on having the following open for tasting and critique. Unfortunately, I do not have any new wine to share, as the Petite Sirah won't be bottled for another 6 months and the other wine I did bottle is not worthy of a trade.

I will however have a barrel sample and all my disappointing wines available for tasting and critique.

- 2021 Barrel sample of Petite Sirah blend (all freerun)
- 2021 Estate blend of Zin, Syrah, Cab (the few good clusters among an uncared for vineyard.
- 2021 Spritzy Cab Franc (sat at .5 brix for 11 months in spiedels, and now it decides it will go dry in the bottle)
- 2021 Mourvedre (still in two carboys and deciding what to do with it)

 

[crushday]

@crushday the barn opens at 5:00 and I'm planning on having the following open for tasting and critique. Unfortunately, I do not have any new wine to share, as the Petite Sirah won't be bottled for another 6 months and the other wine I did bottle is not worthy of a trade.

I will however have a barrel sample and all my disappointing wines available for tasting and critique.

- 2021 Barrel sample of Petite Sirah blend (all freerun)
- 2021 Estate blend of Zin, Syrah, Cab (the few good clusters among an uncared for vineyard.
- 2021 Spritzy Cab Franc (sat at .5 brix for 11 months in spiedels, and now it decides it will go dry in the bottle)
- 2021 Mourvedre (still in two carboys and deciding what to do with it)

Sounds great and fulfilling!

 

[crushday]

Imagine, if you will, grapes flowing down this chute into this hungry auger on Sunday morning!

 

[sour_grapes]

That tableau augurs well!

 

[NorCal]

@crushday makes the 1/2 day trek and absolutely crushes the wine tasting. @Busabill, @4score and I brought out our latest. There was not a bad wine in the house. My favorite wine and label of the evening goes to @crushday

Favorite wine on the left, label right.