Rain Rhymes with Insane!

Corral Creek pinot noir picking
while there was still sun

The weather dictates now, with Wednesday on being very suspect and the final fruit we pull in likely to be harvested in wet, mud-clumped shoes and likely to be sitting in bins a day or so awaiting room on the fermentor train.

As described earlier, compacted picking schedules between vineyards due to the heat of summer and a need to "turn" tanks to make room for all fruit is making us frantically manage logistics. Sometimes there are "ideal" versus "good enough" tradeoffs in soak or post-maceration, but it is really forgetting the luxuries of the last couple vintages and managing resources with precision.

Steve and Michael cramming as much Pinot blanc in press as possible

We have begun dumping fermentors to press and the results look excellent. Twenty-three tons will be pressed off by tomorrow, with wine going to barrel beginning today. As soon as the tanks are drained and shoveled into transfer bins to dump to press, we are caustic cleaning, sanitizing and getting the destemmer overtop to return new fruit to the still warm tank!

Harry hauling empties from destemmer; note dust in distance from concurrent Hazelnut harvest in adjoining orchard

So far fruit is physiologically ripe, even though my ripe-to-overripe tendencies will have to be satisfied with purely ripe at Ridgecrest this vintage. All fruit from Stoller and Corral Creek at this point averages 26.3 brix, with only two lots of fifteen included in these numbers being below 26. Acids average one gram per liter less than normal. Harvest is 64% complete, through yesterday, with 85% expected by Tuesday. A day or so leeway for picking late Tuesday or early Wednesday could get us home with everything that isn't normally late harvested.

The great, young and laughing crew helps make the assault more a dance than a marathon. Less insanity and chaos, more party! Friends in other wineries are helpful too, with our friends at Adelsheim loaning a few bins and pressing capability for last minute pinot gris as we need it.

Regards,

Harry