Winemaking begins in the mind

Determining when to harvest is, stylistically, one of the most important decisions a winemaker has to make. In the past, harvest day was determined by the numbers alone... brix, pH, TA. Nowadays, winemakers tend to rely more so on taste, focusing on ripeness and phenolic maturity. I use both taste and numbers, and I know what I want. The style desired is big, ripe, and Californian because that's what I like and that's what the weather gives us here. I look for flavor, brown seeds, ripe tannins, and slightly flaccid grapes.

When harvesting the grapes I think back to what I know about Chateau d’Yquem in Sauternes. Their harvest crew will go through the vineyards and selectively pick the individual berries that match their criteria so as to only work with grapes that are truly perfect for their wine. By purchasing fruit by the acre I am able to hold myself to similar (although not quite so specific as individual grapes) standards in that I initially only harvest grapes that are fit for my baby to eat. Sorting starts in the vineyard and is continued in the winery. I use stackable, ventilated harvest bins to avoid prematurely crushed grapes. This ensues the freshness and initial health of my fruit.

As a boutique wine producer, my tonnage is always small thus my fermentations are conducted in one ton bins and barrels converted for fermentation. I feel that this is much more intimate and I can get a real feel for the fermentation.

Blending is most often the final process before bottling. All wines are fermented separately, whether they are from different vineyard appellations, different blocks within a vineyard, different clones, different varieties, or even different soil variations within a vineyard. Most often, the wines will have specific, noticeable personality differences within weeks of completing fermentation.

One of the greatest talents a winemaker can have is that of blending to achieve a desired style. For complexity and a true sense of Napa Valley, my plan is to blend from several different vineyards with specific clonal selections. Certain clones for their generous fruit, power, and fleshy mouth feel, and others for their elegance, perfume, and silky texture. The end goal is to create a wine that speaks to Napa Valley as a whole, while still providing a nice balance of power and grace.