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And Then There Was None!
"Is Harvest over?"
The answer: a resounding "Yes" We finished harvest this morning, with Corral Creek Riesling in its normal
position as longest hanger.
Picking the last lot of grapes for 2003,
Corral Creek Riesling, in the rain At 255 tons, there was less fruit for Chehalem
and the new Stoller Vineyards brand than last year. The vintage has not
necessarily been easier, however, since all fruit came in within 22 days,
keeping us
running compared to last year's 37 days.
Of course, the winery will remain active over the next two weeks or more
with red ferments, with the white tank and barrel ferments lasting into January.
There is a weariness among the crew, but with fermentors now being pressed
not being replaced by newly picked fruit, there is optimism and an energy
from it.
Michael at the end of digging out a finished fermentor The quality of the wine being pressed helps also. Despite fruit that is
very ripe, with sugars all over 24 and most over 26 brix, and with acids
as low
as I've ever seen (going down as low as 3.8 grams/liter), the wine has
responded nicely, with extremely saturated colors, restrained tannins and
lovely fruit
aromatics. There has been very little reduction and EA, with fermentation
process parameters and temperature profiles almost perfect. Only two lots
of Pinot noir out of the twenty-five or so saw rain when ripe, and then
only a day or so on sites that had a lot of saturation ability.
Getting up the energy to go home at 9PM after 13 hours on
Coffee becomes our friend even more now, with sagging energy and brisk,
damp mornings. Comforts dominate, with even the booming music of the crew
changing
from hard, party beats to Johnny Cash remembrances. The fermentation building
has changed and is almost living, breathing out moist carbon dioxide fogs
when the doors are opened in the morning, offering wine to press, and,
with pomace hauled to compost in the vineyard, completing a laborious cycle.
Barrels
filled below by gravity from settling tanks replace the temporary fermentor
spaces. Hibernation is in the air.
Barrel filling enlivened by a burst of dance from Marieta Regards,
Harry |
