Description
Production: 233 cases
In the Vineyard
Our gnarled, 35-year-old vines grudgingly produce small clusters of densely-packed berries. While difficult to harvest, the flavor in these grapes is always intense. This season was particularly long and cool. With no frost in sight, we finished picking at the end of October, a full 3 weeks later than is typical. The grapes were harvested from October 20th to the 26th.
In the Cellar
Each day’s harvest was crushed and allowed to sit on the skins for 2 to 5 hours before pressing, drawing additional flavor, mouthfeel and slight color from the must. Despite the cool fall, the numbers were excellent:
Brix: 23.5 – 25
pH: 3.19
Titratable Acidity: 6.4 g/l
Flavor very intense, skins dark purple/pink, seeds mostly brown, juice temp 55 F.
After pressing, the juice was allowed to settle overnight and the clear juice was inoculated with yeast the next day. A leisurely fermentation finished on November 11. No secondary malolactic fermentation was allowed, and the residual malic acid contributed its characteristic faint green-apple flavor to the finished wine. After cold stabilization in the mountain winter, and subsequent heat stabilization, we prepared to blend and bottle. By August 2016 all 133 cases of the ’16 Gewürz were in the bottle and set aside for aging.
