Morning ya'll,
Well, this is the time of year where things just chug along in the vineyard and winery. The vineyard crew has been off for a couple of days as the weather has not permitted them to work. The winery crew has been busy prepping wines for the winter bottling's.
Soon we will be sending off samples for soil analysis. This is the time of year in which we will send soil samples to a lab to have analysis of their contents conducted. This analysis will allow us to check the health of our soils. Let's just say it is a yearly check-up of sorts.
The results will tell us a lot such as soil pH, micro nutrient content and macro nutrient content. Micro nutrients are those nutrients that plants need in small amounts and the Macro nutrients are those that a plant needs in larger amounts. Either big or small all nutrients are needed to help develop a strong and healthy vineyard. A deficiency in one micro nutrient can lead to a compromised plant. These plants are also then more susceptible to disease. So, if we can ensure a healthy vineyard an increased resistance to disease is encouraged. Once again plants and people are very much alike!
Soil is a living organism. It ain't dirt! Dirt is what we sweep from a floor. Soil is filled with life and at the same time can sustain life. It is an entire ecosystem within itself. Long Islands' soil is the result of glacier's melting during the last ice age. The glaciers ended where Long Island now rests. We were the GLACIER'S END. It was eye opening for me many years ago when I took a soil science class to find out that soil really is a complex and integral part of all of the world around us. It was something that I truly took for granted, but now look at differently.
Lastly, remember we have some great things going on at the vineyard this week. We have great cooking demos from Chef Frank Tramantano of Ever So Saucy Sauces and I will be hosting a chocolate and wine tasting with Chocalatier Tad Van Leer from J. Emmanuel Chocalatier. Both promise to be very palate rewarding experiences! Talk with ya'll soon.
Cheers,
- Juan.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Diamonds are Forever
Morning ya'll,
Well, this is the time of year when we begin the arduous task of pruning the vineyard. Our crew has begun shaping the vines into the base from which the growth in 2009 will come. We have started in Pinot Grigio and have moved along into Riesling. Each vine is tended one-by-one when pruning. There is indeed a technique to pruning. A proper technique will already begin to mold fruit quality that the vineyard will yield. As we prune we are already planning and discussing the 2009 Harvest.
At the winery we are preparing our white wines for bottling. Filtration and stabilization of the wines is underway. Stabilization is when we look to remove any hazes that the wine may have as well as remove tartrate crystals. Tartrates as we call them sometimes are referred to as 'wine diamonds'. Tartrates are in fact crystals formed from a naturally occurring acid called tartaric acid. However, with time and cold temperatures tartrates will form and drop out. We can accelerate this process by adding tiny amounts of cream of tartar which acts as a magnet for tartrates.
The removal of tartrates are only an aesthetic operation as they do not effect wine quality. However, the average consumer that may see these crystals in a bottle may think the bottle is bad. So, as a result all white and rose' wines are cold stabilized. Our red wines do not go through cold stabilization, but rather the time in barrel helps lose a large quantity of tartrates.
Lastly, we have just received our screw capper at the winery. We have been busy working on a customized Stelvin (Correct name for a screw cap) that will bear our logo. The new packaging will look quite sharp and help bring us to the fore front of what is happening in the wine world.
Cheers,
Juan.
Well, this is the time of year when we begin the arduous task of pruning the vineyard. Our crew has begun shaping the vines into the base from which the growth in 2009 will come. We have started in Pinot Grigio and have moved along into Riesling. Each vine is tended one-by-one when pruning. There is indeed a technique to pruning. A proper technique will already begin to mold fruit quality that the vineyard will yield. As we prune we are already planning and discussing the 2009 Harvest.
At the winery we are preparing our white wines for bottling. Filtration and stabilization of the wines is underway. Stabilization is when we look to remove any hazes that the wine may have as well as remove tartrate crystals. Tartrates as we call them sometimes are referred to as 'wine diamonds'. Tartrates are in fact crystals formed from a naturally occurring acid called tartaric acid. However, with time and cold temperatures tartrates will form and drop out. We can accelerate this process by adding tiny amounts of cream of tartar which acts as a magnet for tartrates.
The removal of tartrates are only an aesthetic operation as they do not effect wine quality. However, the average consumer that may see these crystals in a bottle may think the bottle is bad. So, as a result all white and rose' wines are cold stabilized. Our red wines do not go through cold stabilization, but rather the time in barrel helps lose a large quantity of tartrates.
Lastly, we have just received our screw capper at the winery. We have been busy working on a customized Stelvin (Correct name for a screw cap) that will bear our logo. The new packaging will look quite sharp and help bring us to the fore front of what is happening in the wine world.
Cheers,
Juan.
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