This week marks the start of what we call "primary racking" in the cellar. Simply put, we are racking (pumping) the new 06 red wine out of barrels for the first time in their very young lives. The secondary fermentation is complete, and the primary lees (sediment) has settled to the bottom of the barrels. It is time to get the semi-clear wine up off of that lees and into a tank for initial SO2 additions and any other adjustments. All of this makes it a very good time to look back and report on the harvest. So here goes...
Traditionally, the Viogniers are the first things to roll in around here and this year was no different. There is always one or two of them that come in much later, but most of those blocks fall right near the end of August. For the most part they were all very bright with acidity and each one had those exotic jasmine and spicy flavors that we've come to expect from Viognier. Sugars were high but with our humidity so high in our caves, that shouldn't transfer to exorbitantly high alcohols. Look for the Viognier to be around 14%, but not much higher. There were two cooler climate lots that came in about a month later. They will add a much needed "minerality" to the blend.
Pretty much right on the heels of the Viogniers come our Syrah blocks. Unfortunately this year they were about a week afterwards so we are unable to produce a Syrah/Viognier this year in the traditional "co-fermented" style. The 06 Syrahs on the whole are beautifully expressive, deep and dense, and showing some intense varietal fruit characters. Some new Syrah clones came into the winery this year from the Tanner Vineyard (470 & 877) and also the Dalton vineyard (470) in addition to the original Tanner block (Clone 06). The new clones are a treat to work with as they will add different characteristics to the Calaveras Syrah, Tanner Syrah and the *%#&@! red Rhone blend.
Stay tuned for more of my incredibly riveting harvest reports...Parts 2 - 13,569!
-Fermento T. Magnificent
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