Ridge Vineyards’ Post

Half French oak, half stainless steel, this egg-shaped fermenter is a new experiment for Rodney Strong Vineyards Who hatched this new breed of egg-shaped fermenter? The 4-foot oblong fermentation vessel in the cellar at Healdsburg’s Rodney Strong Vineyards is a prototype produced by Vicard, a barrel-making company in Cognac, France, and the only one of its kind in the United States. While concrete eggs for fermentation are common in high-end winemaking, this hybrid is different; it’s half French oak and half stainless steel. “The plan is to buy more of those and bigger ones, too,” said Justin Seidenfeld, senior vice president of winemaking and winegrowing for Rodney Strong. “It would always be used for something on the higher tier because of the cost.” The egg is priced at roughly $8,500, and Seidenfeld said the winery is just making one wine with it — the Cooley Ranch chardonnay in the Rowen portfolio. The hybrid egg is expected to be a popular winemaking tool. Seidenfeld expects it to be on the market in early 2024. “You get the benefits of the two materials,” Seidenfeld said. “Freshness comes from the steel, which makes the wine fruity and vibrant. And you get richness and mouthfeel from the oak.” The shape of the egg allows carbon dioxide, a byproduct in the fermentation process, to move through it naturally. “You really get beautiful kinetics during fermentation,” Seidenfeld said. “You don’t have the stratification you get in a stainless-steel tank, where the top of the tank is going at a different pace than the bottom of the tank because of the differences in the way things move.” The prototype, like concrete egg-shaped fermenters, is based on ancient vessels used for wine. According to Wine Folly, which cites the National Academy of Sciences, these oblong containers date back to the Stone Age, 8,000 years ago. Even then, winemakers realized the egg shape allowed for constant movement and continuous flow of currents that influence tannins and acids. Seidenfeld talked about why the egg’s ancient past is noteworthy and why it’s crucial to experiment with fermentations and every aspect of winemaking, https://lnkd.in/dXK3fsbm #fermentation #fermented #fermentedfood #fermenteddrink #wine

Utah Desert Rising: A Very Promising Wine Future The picture is of a vineyard in Hildale, Utah, which is at most a 2 minute walk from the Arizona state line. It was planted about 15 years ago by a group of polygamists and has sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and barbera. The surrounding walls are concrete, fairly tall, and the site is part of a larger industrial park. As you turn into it from the main road, vines are about the last thing you'd expect to see. The winery, Water Canyon, is a natural wine producer in one of the more extreme senses: "zero/zero" as they label it, meaning nothing other than grapes go in, and nothing other than fermented grape juice comes out. Water Canyon is one of six wineries in Utah, all of which are scatter plotted around St. George, one of America's fastest growing cities and a haven for retirees that supplies the customer base for Utah's new and growing wine industry. I very recently spent two days touring four of the wineries, all of whom might be considered "high desert." No vineyard was below 1,000 feet, and several (like the Water Canyon's (industrial) estate), come close to a mile in elevation. The mind-blowing beauty of the area will provide a tailwind to the industry's growth once word gets out beyond the state's boundaries; it's easily America's most naturally stunning wine country. A visit to the Chanela vineyard, planted in 2006 and the state's oldest operating vineyard, took me up an 11 mile, mostly unpaved, uphill road that wound along several canyons and offered a constant and constantly evolving inspiring view. As the nascent industry pursues the official American Viticultural Area designation, the first in Utah, they are dialing in the varietals, clones, and rootstocks that are best suited for their respective plots. Canopies are left to grow to protect from the intense sun, and irrigation allows vineyard managers to control vigor and triangulate brix and acid levels. 2023 was a bumper crop, and the barrel samples I got to to taste show great promise while the finished 2021s and 2022s offer that unique "desert floor" or "canyon wall" minerality that I've only tasted in Utah and Arizona (and love). The industrial estate vineyard's sangiovese continued my love affair with the variety, while another winery poured me some very impressive sauvignon blanc, semillon, and malvasia. Though there's already good wine being made from Utah fruit, there seems to be great potential for improvement. The state's sociocultural dynamics, legal framework, regulator mindset, and access to water are significant limiting factors, but based on my conversations with the industry there is both evidence that things are trending in a more permissive direction and optimism that significant advancements on all fronts are a matter of time and diligent diplomacy. We'll be offering a full report in an upcoming issue, so stay tuned for more. #wine #winemaking #winetasting #utah

PICHON COMTESSE 2023 | EN PRIMEUR | 97-99 points by William Kelley, Wine Advocate| The 2023 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a brilliant wine that will be worth a special effort to track down. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of wild berries and cassis mingled with licorice, lilac, iris root, violet, burning embers and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, with a deep, layered core of cool fruit that largely conceals it's ultra-refined structuring tannins. At a very measured 13% alcohol and 3.67 pH, it unites all Pichon Comtesse's sensuality with unimpeachable Pauillac classicism. The 2023 is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. https://lnkd.in/eH4Xzr83 Since joining Pichon Lalande just after the 2012 harvest, Nicolas GLUMINEAU has made a number of changes. In the vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon is increasingly displacing Merlot, and the soils are worked less frequently. Cover crops are employed, canopy management has evolved, with both fruiting canes now trained in the same direction—Glumineau would like to trial pruning "Guyot simple" if Pauillac's cahier de charges (appellation rules) permitted it—and 27 hectares of the estate's 102 are being farmed organically. A new, highly functional winery and cellar equips him with stainless steel tronconic tanks adapted to parcel-by-parcel vinification. Cooperage choices, too, have been refined (some 65% new oak is the order of the day), and the duration of élevage has been extended to 18-19 months in barrel before racking to tank before bottling. The result? Even as Cabernet Sauvignon occupies a more and more important place in the blend, Pichon Lalande has never been more seamless and sensual, exhibiting a rare degree of structural refinement combined with remarkable complexity and depth of flavor. #PichonComtesse #Millesime2023 #FrenchVineyard #2023Vintage #Primeurs2023 #FrenchWine

2023 Predicted to be the Vintage of a Lifetime in Napa Valley Coming off the heels of the longest Napa Valley growing season in a decade, vintners are glowing with expectancy of the truly noteworthy 2023 vintage. Some have proposed it to be one of the greats while others claim it might be the vintage of a lifetime. “Every century, every place has its legendary vintages. I have no doubt that 2023 will go down as one of the most phenomenal vintages ever in Napa Valley. Every vintner I’ve talked to about 2023 has been nothing short of ecstatic,” said Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and Napa Valley resident in a recent video about the 2023 harvest. Winemakers describe the wines as having freshness, purity and elegance overall with deep colored red wines and a full range of flavors from sites across the valley. Higher-than-average rainfall kicked off the 2023 growing season, and grape growers reported full soil profiles with plenty of moisture, which led to a successful bloom. Due to cooler spring weather, the growing season began 10-14 days behind the 2022 season. “The remainder of the growing season was a mild one. Cooler growing conditions meant extended hang time for grapes,” said Brittany Pederson, director of viticulture for Renteria Vineyard Management, LLC. “Knowing we’d likely harvest into November, it was our job to ripen the fruit and keep it protected long enough to hang through the extended time frame.” Relatively cool weather in tandem with an abundance of sunshine allowed grape skins to ripen slowly and develop maximal dark red color components for red wines. With 2023’s long growing season, full ripeness of grape skins and seeds provided the building blocks for the red wines’ tannic backbone. “Ripe, rich tannins are the wine’s source of resilience and provide the elements for a long-lived wine. The deep red color is a signal of a stand-out vintage, especially with Cabernet,” said Jim Duane, Winemaker at Seavey Vineyard. Aside from Sauvignon Blanc, which was harvested as early as Labor Day weekend, most varieties ripened in October. This simultaneous ripening meant grape growers and wineries coordinated picks based on tank space in the cellar, and communication among partnerships was key. With consistent, mild weather throughout the season, above-average crop yields, and extended hang time, grape growers and winemakers are reporting an exceptional, high-quality, memorable vintage in 2023. A mild growing season has the Napa Valley agricultural community excited about the 2023 vintage: - Winter and spring rains led to full reservoirs and healthy, saturated soils - The mild, warm summer weather (72-75 degrees F) supported healthy canopy growth - Though vineyards faced mildew pressure, clusters remained loose for good air flow, berries were small with concentrated flavors - Harvest kicked off around September 2-4, 2023 for white wine grapes; Cabernet Sauvignon harvest started the end of September Photo by Bob McClenahan

Harvesting Wine Because different grape varietals ripen at different times and different grape growing regions also have different ripening seasons, not all harvests happen at the same time.  It is safe to say  that in the Northern hemisphere, most grape harvesting is done between the months of August through November.  It’s a crucial time for grape growers.  Winemakers are looking for fruit that is at its peak with little margin for error.  Late summer storms, early cold snaps or last minute heat waves can all affect the season’s harvest and ultimately, that year’s wine.  And while machines can be used to pick the grapes, many vineyards are still harvested by hand.  The work is intense.  Hours are long. After being picked, the trucks loaded with grapes are taken to the winery where they are sorted, sometimes by hand, on conveyor belts.  Eventually, the grapes make it to the vats where they are crushed. An entire growing season is now ready to be crafted into the wines we will be enjoying in the years to come.  For some, like Cabernets or Bordeaux, it can be years before the aging process is complete and that vintage is ready.  For others, like Sauvignon Blancs, we will be enjoying them next summer.  This magical process of creating wine doesn’t end at the winery.  When you collect wines you  understand the proper care of each bottle is imperative to enjoying it at its best.  @HarmonicWineDisplays we are in the business of designing, fabricating and installing wine displays that are statement pieces in your restaurant or home.  If your collection merits its own cellar or room, or a custom cooler is all you need, Harmonic Wine Displays has the reputation and expertise to deliver. Check us out at https://lnkd.in/ek8EUw8U #wineroomdesign #customengineering #winelover #winetasting #restaurants #winebar #finewines #winecooler #winestorage #wineroom #customwineroom #winecellardesign #winedisplay #winerestaurants #winecollecting #wineinvestment #winecollection #wine #restaurantdesigner #interiordesigner #interiordesign #restaurantowner #winefolly #cambridgewines

Our best-known vineyard Boot Hill is home to our still-wine grapes and some of our ripest fruit. Funnily enough, Boot Hill was earmarked as our third choice when planting vines in 2004 - it’s higher up and, we thought, more exposed. However, in 2006, gut-instinct took over and we decided to plant despite initial findings. Science and wine are inextricably linked, but - as Boot Hill shows - sometimes on-paper analysis can bear little resemblance to the real life of a vine. In a marginal climate such as the UK, ripeness is king in sparkling wines. It's even more important in still-wine production. It's no accident that most of our still-wine grapes come from Boot Hill. We’ve isolated Burgundian clones in particular blocks that benefit from increased ripeness and these are set aside for still wine production. Base wines from Boot Hill often show a richness, weight and muscularity we don't see in other wines – and often a very discernible mineral character too. Read more about our Boot Hill vineyard > https://bit.ly/3xw4XdC

@cabriniwines has been crafting exquisite vintages since 1918. It is their legacy. They keep it simple with minimal intervention, hand harvesting grapes to then be transported in 20kg cases, using no chemicals. Once in the winery, the grapes are sorted by hand, crushed and fermented using indigenous yeasts. Cabrini Malbec is their flagship wine, made with Malbec grapes grown at 1,300 meters above sea level in the mountains of the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. This Malbec is fresh and fruity and lacks Oaky characteristic, unlike other Malbecs. Fun fact: The label was designed in the 1930s and brought back to life recently by the 5th generation of the Cabrini family. Grape Variety: 100% Malbec Tasting Notes: Violets and ripe plum on the nose, fruity and silky on the palate, with a long-lasting finish. Vineyard: Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza. Planted in 1963 at 1,300 m.a.s.l. Winemaking: Fermentation takes place in our cement vats using only indigenous yeasts. Cabrini Malbec is unfined and lightly filtered to preserve its freshness and character. After 6 months of evolution in cement vats, the wine is bottled and kept in our cellars for at least 6 months before release. Represented by #slocumandsons in #Connecticut #cabriniwines #cabrini #vintagewines #malbec

MONTICELLO - Napa Valley S55 E3 | Knollwood Vineyard We planted the Knollwood Vineyard on Big Ranch Road in the early 1980s. Over the last 40 years, we've grown some terrific grapes here! For many years, this vineyard has been a primary source for our MONTICELLO 'Corley' Proprietary Red Wine, a delicious blend of 100% Estate Grown Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This picture is the oldest remaining block on Knollwood Vineyard. Merlot ... Clone 181, on 3309 Rootstock. It's a combination that has served us well for decades! We're mowing today, the aroma of fresh cut grass is invigorating, it almost comes through from the photo! Since this vineyard is Certified Organic, we'll manually weedeat under the vines. You rarely see this type of open-lyre trellis system anymore. Popular in the 1980s, it's a little 'out of fashion' now, and most have been torn out and replanted ... but the fruit is so good, the wines so delicious. As winegrowers, we strive to grow unique and distinct flavors, aromas and textures. This 40 year old block consistently delivers! Our current vintage of Merlot, 2019, grown in this same block, recently received a nice 91 point review from James Suckling! MONTICELLO 'Estate' Merlot https://lnkd.in/g-EmxrU8 #merlot #certifiedorganic #organic #organicfarming #napavalley #oakknolldistrict #napa