A Day in the Life of a Winemaker: September and October
In this second installment of our series describing the seasonal work of a winemaker, I cover the most exciting time of year: the September–October harvest.
Some call crush the “Super Bowl of winemaking”; others say it’s the culmination of a year’s work. Whatever the analogy, there’s a sense of urgency because we only have one shot at getting it right. And like any big game, we invest a lot of time in preparation.
In early September, clusters in red varieties that have fallen behind the ripening curve are removed at veraison (the point when 95% of clusters are fully colored).
We also put the finishing touches on wines from the previous vintage by confirming final blends for our 2009 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay and Pinot Noir before bottling , and racking red wines one last time before spring. (Racking entails siphoning the clear upper portion of wine from a barrel after gravity draws sediment to the bottom.)
Grower Relations Manager Alejandro Aldama and I visit every vineyard to determine if extra cultural practices are needed. We may thin additional clusters to maintain proper vine balance if a crop grows too large, remove damaged clusters if mildew and/or botrytis develop, or apply irrigation during heat spikes.
We cluster sample all vineyards for ripeness, and accelerate the frequency to once or twice per week as harvest approaches. Some winemakers test individual grapes from different vineyard sections; we like to pick 15 pounds of full clusters per sampling to garner a true representation.
Our harvest typically starts with the picking of picpoul blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir in early-to-mid-September.
Harvest is fully underway in October, and we continue with a weekly sugar and taste analysis of every vineyard to determine their exact harvest dates.
Our growers harvest by hand, starting before dawn and ending in early afternoon to benefit both workers and fruit. Grape clusters, still fresh and cool, are trucked to nearby cellars in Los Gatos, Monterey, Paso Robles or Sonoma County . We are always on site to verify that the appropriate blocks are being picked.
The action on the crush pad is often controlled chaos — dedicated cellar workers move the deluge of ripening fruit according to my plan for each grape variety. Chardonnay, for example, may pass quickly from press to barrel while most reds are gently destemmed, then cold soaked (i.e. crushed and refrigerated) for a few days before fermentation. Specialty wines such as late harvest or blush entail more complex regimens. I also monitor a variety of fermentations in bins, tanks and barrels as well as periodically taste to determine when to press or send to barrel.
My time is split between vineyard and cellar, and Alejandro and I try to expect the unexpected as well as maintain our energy by eating well, getting adequate rest, and staying connected with our families.
Join us on Facebook
