Winemaker's Journal

October

Napa Valley Cellar Master Joe Ramirez takes a break between bins.
October 12, 2007

The weather was dry and mild throughout the weekend and on into the beginning of the week. There was a threat of serious rain beginning Tuesday night. The storm did arrive, but with less force than advertised. Although the first storm did not generate as much rain as we feared, it was clear that the series of storms behind it were going to put an end to any ripening of the grapes for quite a while. We decided that the few remaining vineyards had developed good flavors and that it was not worth the risk to wait for a little more sugar.

We concluded harvest for the Napa Valley program on Tuesday October 9th as the rain drops started to fall. We brought in fruit from the Atlas Peak area, Rutherford and the western edge of the city of Napa. One of our contract growers was booked up until Wednesday, so we sent our own crews there under Dave Shein’s supervision and picked the vineyard on Monday. It’s this kind of extra effort that assures us excellent fruit picked in a timely manner.

In Alexander Valley, we continued to press the tanks as they finished primary fermentation. Our first tank finished malolactic fermentation and was racked and sulfured. At the end of the week, we only had seven fermentors still on the skins.

October 4, 2007

The weather warmed up gradually throughout the week until we had highs in the low eighties on Wednesday. Nights in the early part of the week were in the high 30’s and this really got the vines to start shutting down. Clouds moved in on Thursday and threatened to bring some light rain. We continued to see slow progress in grape maturity.

In Alexander Valley we finished harvesting our last block of Miraval to complete harvest. No one was injured in the traditional champagne sabering, so all around it was a successful harvest. We continue to press tanks as they go dry and our first tank has completed malolactic fermentation. The stress has greatly decreased in Geyserville with the last grapes in.

We had a big week of crushing for the Napa Valley program with fruit coming in from our Soda Canyon Ranch and 4 outside growers. The tank room is filled to the max, but we see the light at the end of the tunnel. As long as the remaining vineyards are not over estimates, there will be a tank for every block. The wines are showing the same dark color and aromatic intensity that we saw in Alexander Valley and I am confident that 2007 will be a memorable vintage.