Our long, arduous Crush 2011 took us within 11 days of Thanksgiving (and we are still plenty busy in the cellar)! When asked what the biggest challenge was this year I would definitely say holding back from "panic picking" while coaxing the late-season rain-dampered fruit into finally delivering enough sugars to ensure us a proper vintage.
Even with all this year's bizarre weather, our Cabernet Sauvignon came it at 24, Muscat Blanc 23 and Petit Sirah at 23.2 Brix. As far as early stand-outs are concerned, both the Cab and the Petit Sirah appear to be of particularly high quality with Ph and acids in balance and promising bright-dark colors.
As I write this, all the 2011 wines are now completed primary fermentation and going through maloactic fermentation in barrel. Our Cabernets always undergo an extended maceration, up to 4 weeks after the completion of primary fermentation. As every year, I blended up a bevy of various yeast strains as well a malolactic bacteria to add complexity to our wines.
Although the cellar elves are quite busy with all of this, we are also working towards shortly releasing 3 new vintages in the coming weeks, although probably not quite in time for the winter holidays (we'll keep you posted on our progress). They are our:
- 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from our Shultz Family Estate Vineyards, our flagship wine
- 2010 Tempranillo featuring Stonehouse Estate fruit (which we will be barrel tasting on Saturday, December 3, in case you're in the neighborhood!)
- Our latest batch of Mikayla's Cuvée (a rich blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, Syrah, Barbera and Temparnillo) that is absolutely outstanding.
I hope you will come on by soon and toast to the spirit of the season with us. Cheers to the Holidays ahead!
