My back is killing me . . .

[Florida Jim]

By last count, I have helped sort more than 80 tons of fruit this year and have spent considerable time helping with innoculations, punch-downs, pump-overs, nutrient adds, pressing and barreling down. My own fruit is now in the barn (it coming from one of the coolest growing areas in the county) and I think that will be my only responsibility for the next month or so. Thankfully.

The weather was not good to us who harvested from cool climates this year. Heavy rain followed by blooms of botrytis and other molds will make for some challenges in the winery. Everybody who got their fruit in before the rain saw pretty good to very good quality with diminished quantity. Those of us who got fruit after the rain will not be making "natural" wine this year.

This is either the rock or the hard place for me; my inclination is to be as gentle and non-intrusive as I can be with the wines I make and help with. But there are times when the grapes make it clear that some compromises are mandatory. So we'll go heavier on the sulpher, ferment with aggresive cultured yeasts and test our fermentation chemistry much more often then is the usual.

Hopefully, our wines will reflect the vintage but still be good examples of their varieties and vineyards. And sell.

One thing is for sure; the next guy or gal who preaches from on high about the necessity of winemakers letting nature take its course, regardless, is going to hear it from me.

I'm whipped.
Aspirin and a nap is next.
Best, Jim

 

[Rahsaan]

Sounds tough.

But you must be new to the business. So much honesty!

A few more vintages and you'll get better at the Best Vintage Ever schtick.

 

[SteveTimko]

If you had planted Chardonnay in Napa, you'd almost be ready to bottle by now. Just a thought. . .

 

[Lou Kessler]

originally posted by Florida Jim:


This is either the rock or the hard place for me; my inclination is to be as gentle and non-intrusive as I can be with the wines I make and help with. But there are times when the grapes make it clear that some compromises are mandatory. So we'll go heavier on the sulpher, ferment with aggresive cultured yeasts and test our fermentation chemistry much more often then is the usual.

Hopefully, our wines will reflect the vintage but still be good examples of their varieties and vineyards. And sell.

One thing is for sure; the next guy or gal who preaches from on high about the necessity of winemakers letting nature take its course, regardless, is going to hear it from me.

I'm whipped.
Aspirin and a nap is next.
Best, Jim

Ah! reality sets into the world of making wine. No 100% natural, Alice will never talk to you again, you'll be banned from certain "in wine circles",you have defecated on everything holy.
But let me say in admiration I will attest to you working at the sorting table yesterday. I happened to be in Sonoma and first hand observed Jim trying to discard any grape if it was not perfect. Now I thought I observed Jim's "wife" also working at the sorting table at a much faster tempo than her partner. To be totally candid I have picked grapes, sorted grapes, and let me say they both suck. Jim is a wine grape warrior and should be respected.

 

[Yule Kim]

Congratulations Jim on a successful harvest. Hope all goes well in the cellar.

 

[Yixin]

Those of us who got fruit after the rain will not be making "natural" wine this year.

So why make any wine at all?

Facetiousness aside, I think the sorting will show in the end; your description reminds me of 2000 in Germany, where some of the most respected names, despite near-fanatical hand sorting, had to use a huge amount of sulfur (and inoculated yeasts). Those wines are drinking well now.

 

[Florida Jim]

originally posted by Yixin:

Those of us who got fruit after the rain will not be making "natural" wine this year.

So why make any wine at all?

Facetiousness aside, I think the sorting will show in the end; your description reminds me of 2000 in Germany, where some of the most respected names, despite near-fanatical hand sorting, had to use a huge amount of sulfur (and inoculated yeasts). Those wines are drinking well now.

Yixin,

On a somewhat related note . . .
Last year I made a skin-fermented sauvignon blanc. I had all sorts of problems, both understanding what the must and wine were doing and with fermentation problems. At several points, I loved the wine and at others I hated it.
I spoke briefly with Steve Edmunds about it and he gave me a piece of advice I'll not forget. Essentially, he said "don't throw it away, no matter what." His point of course, is that every wine is evolving and that even if at some point one sees that the wine will not be up to snuff, one should extend that point to allow for the vaugaries of nature and the process.
I did that, even though there was certainly more than one occasion where I seriously considered dumping it. But it has gone through more incarnations then I would have thought possible and each one is a data point in my learning experience. FWIW, at this point, I actually like the wine and have decided to keep it in barrel at least another year - just to see what happens.

Thanks for the 2000 Germany mention; may our wines drink well "when they are supposed to." In any event, encouragement is appreciated.

BTW, I had a great nap, a good dinner, a couple glasses of the 2008 Crios, Malbec - I feel so much better that I'm ready to sort another 10 tons (thankfully, that ain't gonna happen).

Best, Jim

 

[Florida Jim]

originally posted by Lou Kessler:
Ah! reality sets into the world of making wine. No 100% natural, Alice will never talk to you again, you'll be banned from certain "in wine circles",you have defecated on everything holy.
But let me say in admiration I will attest to you working at the sorting table yesterday. I happened to be in Sonoma and first hand observed Jim trying to discard any grape if it was not perfect. Now I thought I observed Jim's "wife" also working at the sorting table at a much faster tempo than her partner. To be totally candid I have picked grapes, sorted grapes, and let me say they both suck. Jim is a wine grape warrior and should be respected.

Lou,
Good to see you and yes, my wife is faster than I am - but hell man, she's younger!
"Grape warrior?" Goodness man, how much wine have you had?
Best, Jim

 

[Florida Jim]

originally posted by Rahsaan:
Sounds tough.

But you must be new to the business. So much honesty!

A few more vintages and you'll get better at the Best Vintage Ever schtick.

Bite your tongue.
Best, Jim

 

[Arjun Mendiratta]

Thanks for the reports from the trenches Jim.

So...you like the Crios wines?

 

[SFJoe]

originally posted by Florida Jim:

originally posted by Rahsaan:
Sounds tough.

But you must be new to the business. So much honesty!

A few more vintages and you'll get better at the Best Vintage Ever schtick.

Bite your tongue.
Best, Jim

Oh, I don't know. We just had Eric Texier in town for a few days, and he's got a shower of cold water for that kind of thing. It's extremely refreshing.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by SFJoe:

originally posted by Florida Jim:

originally posted by Rahsaan:
Sounds tough.

But you must be new to the business. So much honesty!

A few more vintages and you'll get better at the Best Vintage Ever schtick.

Bite your tongue.
Best, Jim

Oh, I don't know. We just had Eric Texier in town for a few days, and he's got a shower of cold water for that kind of thing. It's extremely refreshing.

Yes, and given the company that Florida Jim keeps one expects nothing less than such honesty.

And the wines sound interesting as well.

 

[Bruce G.]

originally posted by Florida Jim:
Those of us who got fruit after the rain will not be making "natural" wine this year.

Jim:

Sounds like a lot of fun.
I'm on the opposite side of things.... for the first time in 25 years or so I've not really participated in crush. A couple of days of crushing, punch-downs, ferm checks is about all.
The lack of activity has me bouncing off the walls.

Re: the above quote.... no preaching and no talk of necessity, but... you certainly can make "natural" wine from fruit that's been rained on.

Regards,

 

[VS]

originally posted by Florida Jim:
The weather was not good to us who harvested from cool climates this year.

If generalized misery can be any consolation, Jim, it wasn't good either to us who harvested from hot climates in southern Europe this year! :-)

 

[Florida Jim]

originally posted by Bruce G.:

originally posted by Florida Jim:
Those of us who got fruit after the rain will not be making "natural" wine this year.

Jim:

Sounds like a lot of fun.
I'm on the opposite side of things.... for the first time in 25 years or so I've not really participated in crush. A couple of days of crushing, punch-downs, ferm checks is about all.
The lack of activity has me bouncing off the walls.

Re: the above quote.... no preaching and no talk of necessity, but... you certainly can make "natural" wine from fruit that's been rained on.

Regards,

Bruce,
Perhaps, I painted with too broad a brush but I prefer less intrusive ways than are in play this year - low sulphers, a couple days cold soak, cooler ferments, natural yeasts, very limited nutrient adds, etc.
We're still not into enzymes or RO but one man's natural is another man's not quite.
And I suspect in a week or two, I am going to miss the vineyard and the sort table very much - just not today.
Best, Jim

 

[Florida Jim]

originally posted by Arjun Mendiratta:
Thanks for the reports from the trenches Jim.

So...you like the Crios wines?

I had the torrantes the other night and this low-end malbec now - 'have not had the higher-end stuff. The torrantes was beautiful; great nose, succulent in the mouth and a pretty finish. The malbec was correct, 13.8%, balanced and just grippy enough to go with cool weather fare. Delicious with burgers.
So far, so good.
You?
Best, Jim

 

[MarkS]

...nutrient adds, etc.

Soylent Green??

 

[Bruce G.]

originally posted by Florida Jim:
Bruce,
Perhaps, I painted with too broad a brush but I prefer less intrusive ways than are in play this year - low sulphers, a couple days cold soak, cooler ferments, natural yeasts, very limited nutrient adds, etc.

Jim:

For another season, perhaps, but all these techniques can be used with fruit that has been rained upon.

Re: missing the sorting table.... depends on whether you use a shaker table or a belt, I'd say.

Cheers,

 

[Florida Jim]

originally posted by Bruce G.:

originally posted by Florida Jim:
Bruce,
Perhaps, I painted with too broad a brush but I prefer less intrusive ways than are in play this year - low sulphers, a couple days cold soak, cooler ferments, natural yeasts, very limited nutrient adds, etc.

Jim:

For another season, perhaps, but all these techniques can be used with fruit that has been rained upon.

Bruce,
I would like to more about this and would welcome any off-line suggestions/dialogue. I can be contacted at jim@cowancellars.com
The amount of botrytis I saw made me think these techniques might be less than effective.
Best, Jim

 

[VLM]

I get from sulfur.

originally posted by Florida Jim:
Those of us who got fruit after the rain will not be making "natural" wine this year.
So we'll go heavier on the sulpher, ferment with aggresive cultured yeasts and test our fermentation chemistry much more often then is the usual.

The vignerons whom I most respect in the world are flexible and try to put out an excellent product year in and year out and sometimes have to put on a happy face and drink the medicine. No one wants to compromise, but that's the difference between adult and adolescent thinking.