Comments on: Where Are We? http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/ Candid discussion on the philosophies, practices and problems involved in making the Ultimate Pinot Noir Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:53:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Kenneth Juhasz http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/comment-page-1/#comment-67 Kenneth Juhasz Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:32:45 +0000 http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/#comment-67 For us, Doug, stylistic consistency is less of a priority than creating the highest quality Pinot Noir we can from a given vintage. That said, when we try out new coopers, we work them in slowly, blending them into larger lots. We sometimes start with a single barrel. If it really were terrible -- and I haven't had that experience -- we'd declassify its contents. If I start to really like a particular cooper, I will increase the presence of those barrels incrementally. No matter how much I like them, however, I can't switch half of my program to a new cooper. If I like them that much, so do other winemakers, so the question is, can they satisfy that kind of demand with a consistent product? So I feel it's best to work them into the blend slowly and gently. For us, Doug, stylistic consistency is less of a priority than creating the highest quality Pinot Noir we can from a given vintage. That said, when we try out new coopers, we work them in slowly, blending them into larger lots. We sometimes start with a single barrel. If it really were terrible — and I haven’t had that experience — we’d declassify its contents.

If I start to really like a particular cooper, I will increase the presence of those barrels incrementally. No matter how much I like them, however, I can’t switch half of my program to a new cooper. If I like them that much, so do other winemakers, so the question is, can they satisfy that kind of demand with a consistent product? So I feel it’s best to work them into the blend slowly and gently.

]]> By: Kenneth Juhasz http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Kenneth Juhasz Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:21:46 +0000 http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/#comment-66 Doug, my apologies for the tardiness of these responses. It's true that temperature is a huge factor for us in ML being late. Yes, it can be controlled, but in reality, although our barrel room is cooled so that temperatures don't go above a certain point, it is not heated. So if the winter is cold, temperatures are lower and ML is slower. On top of that, I'm sure that microbiological variables are at play as well. Doug, my apologies for the tardiness of these responses. It’s true that temperature is a huge factor for us in ML being late. Yes, it can be controlled, but in reality, although our barrel room is cooled so that temperatures don’t go above a certain point, it is not heated. So if the winter is cold, temperatures are lower and ML is slower. On top of that, I’m sure that microbiological variables are at play as well.

]]> By: Kenneth Juhasz http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/comment-page-1/#comment-64 Kenneth Juhasz Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:11:41 +0000 http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/#comment-64 Yes, Jeff. Absolutely. The finish and fruit can dry out. I am always apprehensive about over-vintaging -- that is, leaving a wine in barrel through the next harvest. So I plan for 10 months in barrel and decide at the last minute, on July 31, whether I should bottle in August or wait until after harvest. In practice, we have over-vintaged half of our vintages to date. Yes, Jeff. Absolutely. The finish and fruit can dry out. I am always apprehensive about over-vintaging — that is, leaving a wine in barrel through the next harvest. So I plan for 10 months in barrel and decide at the last minute, on July 31, whether I should bottle in August or wait until after harvest. In practice, we have over-vintaged half of our vintages to date.

]]> By: Jeff Boyer http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Jeff Boyer Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:47:15 +0000 http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/#comment-30 I found the discussion very interesting. I do have one question if you could comment on. How does the length of time spent in barrel affect Pinot Noir. I have heard that beyond 10 months the finish can tend to dry out. Thanks Rookie I found the discussion very interesting. I do have one question if you could comment on. How does the length of time spent in barrel affect Pinot Noir. I have heard that beyond 10 months the finish can tend to dry out.
Thanks
Rookie

]]> By: Doug Walker http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Doug Walker Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:56:17 +0000 http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/#comment-15 Oak can have a dramatic impact on the wine style. I personally prefer oak to be used carefully, especially in Pinot. How do you maintain a consistent style if you very coopers year to year? Oak can have a dramatic impact on the wine style. I personally prefer oak to be used carefully, especially in Pinot. How do you maintain a consistent style if you very coopers year to year?

]]> By: Doug Walker http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Doug Walker Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:54:57 +0000 http://www.ultimatepinot.com/where-are-we/#comment-14 That is an interesting comment on the malolactic fermentation being late. What causes the difference in timing year to year? Is it temperature (which could be controlled) or just the nuance of the process? That is an interesting comment on the malolactic fermentation being late. What causes the difference in timing year to year? Is it temperature (which could be controlled) or just the nuance of the process?

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