We have WINE! The first fruit, Pinot noir, to come into the winery has now evolved into wine! I noticed that the cap of grape skins was falling on a small fermenter yesterday morning. By the end of the day it was completely submerged and we had wine. It tastes very fresh, with tart cranberry and raspberry notes, deliciously refreshing! It will be pressed today and put into French oak barrels to rest for about 9 months before it is bottled.

We continued to receive and process Pinot noir fruit this week along with more Chardonnay and some Viognier. When the white grapes come into the winery they are immediately pressed and the juice is pumped into an enclosed tank where it settles over night. The next day the juice is racked off the settled solids and into either stainless steel barrels or French oak barrels for fermentation. The cellar sounds like it has multiple fish aquariums running with the consistent bubbling from the air locks on the barrels. The air locks allow the carbon dioxide created during fermentation to escape while keeping oxygen out.

9:15 copyMy biggest accomplishment this week was doing ALL of the punch downs on ALL the fermenters for midday. I am developing some definite muscles along with some blisters too and we aren’t even half way through harvest yet! The reward is knowing that we will make a good wine and the views from the top of the fermenters.