A friend invited me to have a beer with him after work the other day at a place that offers “designer” beers, and I ordered one that I didn’t know. The color was a beautiful coppery red and I raised it to my lips with the anticipation of refreshment. But something was a little off. It was too sweet. The beer had tons more character than an everyday American lite, but to me it was out of balance and not very enjoyable.I realize I have the luxury of being pretty picky. There is such a vast array of micro-brews available that a consumer can pretty much dial in the exact style of beer they prefer. My tastes run to a more austere beer with the light sting of more aggressive hops.

That beer sparked a discussion of wine styles. My friend had recently tasted a 1987 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from … More…

A wine writer friend asked us to comment on Dijon Pinot Noir clones (group of early-ripening French clones named for Burgundian city) the other day, and Kenneth and I thought that would be a good subject for a post. We have the 115, 667 and 777 clones planted on several sites. Often we lump these different clones into one term, Dijon, yet each has its own characteristics.

As early ripening clones, the Dijons all are particularly suited for questionable cool-climate areas where other selections might not ripen sufficiently – around Freestone in western Sonoma County, for example. Fruit-forward wines are easier to accomplish with the Dijon Pinot Noir clones.

It’s interesting that we often lump them together in casual conversation, because they really seem … More…

We can let the fruit hang as long as we want. The window to pick is a week or more long. It’s almost silly – we can do whatever we want without fear. With great flavors and everything truly ripe, I’m taking advantage. I’m being a little more extractive in my winemaking, given the great condition of the crop, but I’m mindful of balance.

There’s no rush at the winery to get lots out of tanks. There’s plenty of time to do the work, so we’re crossing t’s and dotting i’s. For normally high alcohol producers, this year will be considerably lower. Our alcohols aren’t normally that high so they won’t be down very dramatically. Acids are not high, but certainly not low. Nothing tastes over-ripe. It’s all concentrated … More…

Kenneth, Nabor and I walked our Donum and Ferguson Block vineyards today with Dr. Phil Freese, our viticultural consultant. It was cool and overcast until noon. Phil remarked that while it’s been a mild summer, there has been virtually no fog. Cool evenings have kept acid levels up.

Even with clouds overhead today and temperatures barely in the 70s, Phil commented that enough sunlight gets through for photosynthesis (vines won’t grow in full shade). He said photosynthesis will “max out” in the high 70s and low 80s. Even the morning breeze aids the process of ripening by circulating fresh carbon dioxide among the leaves. Phil recalled being in the Nahe Valley in Germany one year for the last 30 days before harvest; even when three out of the four weeks were … More…

This vintage is pretty amazing. We’ve had no pressures like rot. The canopies are open and healthy. Shoot sizes are in balance. The crop level is slightly low and there is a nice display of fruit.

We have had ideal weather, with temperatures from the high 70s to low 90s, mild nights and adequate humidity (low humidity can hurt us more than heat). All the shoots are lignified (turned brown and woody), the seeds are starting to ripen, and the year has progressed very nicely so far.

This has been a dry growing season, and the soils have dried up quickly. In block 190 at Donum, for example, we dry farmed and didn’t irrigate last year until the end of harvest. After three years of cover crops using up water there, the … More…