Winemaking

Winemaking begins in the mind...

...from here, the Winemaker determines the style of wine desired and works backwards, ultimately leading directly to the vineyard.

Harvest time / Selective harvesting / Small lot fermentations / Extended sorting / Extended maceration or not? / Malolactic fermentation / Aging and matching fruit to oak / Blending

Harvest time

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.

Selective harvesting

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.

Small lot fermentations

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.

Extended sorting

After the fruit is sorted in the vineyard during picking, the whole clusters are sorted pre-destemming to remove damaged or rotten clusters that may of snuck in, then, after being destemmed, the berries are sorted on a REDICULOUS 30 feet of sorting table where a mob of 16 people (the average winery has 5 to 6 people, max) ensure that absolutely nothing but perfect whole berries make it to the fermenter.

Extended maceration or not?

At the completion of alcoholic fermentation the wines are tasted and evaluated for tannin abrasiveness. Although tannins are a necessity for the aging potential and also varietal character of Cabernet Sauvignon, tannins which are too abrasive are off putting and pull the attention away from the other beautiful subtleties of the wine and ultimately throwing the wine off balance. Extended maceration allows the young, short chain tannin molecules to bind together forming softer, more polished, long chain molecules, therefore becoming a delightful subtlety themselves. Maceration times are based on daily tastings, and can last from 10 to 30 days, or even longer.

Malolactic fermentation

All of my reds undergo malolactic fermentation (the secondary fermentation which changes the more sharp and tart malic acid, to the softer lactic acid). Weekly lees stirring encourage ML activity while also assisting in autolysis, or the breaking down of yeast cells which effects mouth feel giving the wine a more luscious texture.

Aging and matching fruit to oak

Different wines age at different rates, again, every wine is different and my focus when it is time to put the wine to rest in barrels is on the amount of fruit and color extraction the wine is showing. The more powerful the fruit, the more powerful the oak and vice versa. Eighteen months is my minimum requirement for aging. I have no maximum... at this and all points, it is a question of taste.

Blending

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.