Our 2008 Roussanne wine is undergoing its cold stabilization in the tank.  Crystalizing out the bitartrates is a common practice for white and rose wines.  While bitartrates are tasteless, the investment in cooling the wine at 25-28 F to crystalize the bitartrates in the tank is done so that they will not develop in the bottle when stored in the refrigerator.  Once testing verifies the wine's stability, we will filter the wine off the tartrates.  The wine will be ready for bottling when the temperature reaches 55-60F.  AY

This year we are producing a Roussanne, a white Rhone wine.  Its fermentation is nearly complete.  It will be made in an off-dry style and has orange, tangerine, and tropical flavors.  We plan to release it by April.

I have been conducting lab analyses for several local wineries.  During Sept. and Oct. it is common for them to request brix (sugar), pH, and acid tests to help determine their harvesting dates.  Like other fruits in the region, harvest has been delayed by about 2 weeks.  One of the challenges for some wineries is coping with the hot and below average temperatures of the growing season.  For some, this has meant lowering their yields per vine so that the remaining grapes will ripen properly.  Sweetness, as measured by brix, does not determine ripeness.  I have analyzed some grapes that are sweet and have green (unripe) pulp.  Color and flavor emanate from the skins and it is important that these develop in order to provide the fruit flavors that we enjoy in the completed wine.  AY

     We are preparing for the harvest by completing the bottling of our apple wine and 2007 Chardonnay.  We will be offering a 1.5 L (magnum) bottle of the Chardonnay. 
     We have been asked how long wines can age.  While there are several factors, one that relates to bottling is to keep the dissolved oxygen of the wine low.  We aim for 1 ppm or less which is equivalent to 1/10,000% oxygen.  We also have a vacuum pump on our corker so that we create zero or negative pressure in the headspace between the cork and the wine.  This minimizes the oxygen that would dissolve into the wine.   
     Finally, sanitation is a key element to successful bottling.  We measure our performance through bioluminescence testing.  This involves swabbing key areas such as filler spouts and filler bowl channels.  The swab is then inserted into a sleeve containing the enzyme luciferase.  The reaction is similar to what happens inside a fire fly that lights up.  All living cells have within it a "battery" called ATP.  The enzyme, luciferase, reacts with ATP and creates light.  We measure this in an instrument that gives us numerical units.  We bottle when our numbers read zero.  It's a relief to know we are sanitized versus going through the motions and hoping we are sanitized.

The filteration of wine is a complex process which allows for a good shelf life and taste. As we prepared to bottle our Apple Wine, we will be using a new, larger bottling filter to keep up with rising demand. We look forward to playing with the new "toy" as we bottle the next 650 cases over the spring months. Anyone wishing to see the filter need only ask.  We are happy to give tours of our production area.

We are welcoming a beautiful Saturday. Soon the spring and summer rush of visitors and activities will be upon us, but today the forecast called for a late spring snow. For those who braved the weather, they will be very pleased with the sunny, cool day. Another reason not to let the weather report slow you down.
Alan is finishing up our latest batch of fruity apple, chardonnay and sakura wines. We expect to bottle every weekend next month!! Come by and check it out.
Tuesday we talked with Amanda from Gibbs Graphics. They create the most beautiful murals. By this time next year (at the latest), we should have a very artistic winery. I'll keep you posted via the e-newsletter.
Lilith