MCV FARM NEWS - 2.19.10 - To Decant, or Not to Decant???

Hey Ya'll,

       This week was a little more bearable as we were spared any serious snow accumulations.  Here on the East End we had a heavy dusting of snow, where as our neighbors to the west saw considerably more.  I was shocked upon driving to Franklin Square to see the amount of snow on the ground in Nassau County. 

       I had to travel to Franklin Square to meet with the folks from The Plattdeusche Restaurant to discuss a wine dinner that Martha Clara will be hosting in July.  Yeah, it seems hard to believe but we were discussing an evening of wine under the stars in July as we walked over piles of snow!  I am very much looking forward to this dinner in quite a magnificent place filled with history and culture.  I am also looking forward to warm summer evenings!

      ***SnAp****  Okay, well back to reality it is mid-February and I have "tasted" a good number of red wines this winter.  I am often asked, "should I decant my wines?"  Well, if you asked me this a few years ago I would have told you, "no."  Now we find wines being released sooner and I am beginning to understand the value of a good decanter.  With 3 decanters in the house all of a different shape I have had many decanting options and opportunities.  My findings have been that regardless of shape decanting is recommended!!!!  I find opening a cellar cooled red best if served decanted for about 1 hour prior to tasting.  If you doubt this, open a bottle of wine and pour a small glass out then decant the rest.  Immediately taste the glass you poured out and take note of its flavor.  Now, vigorously swirl the decanter to expose the wine to air and let stand for 1 hour.  After an hour pour a glass from the decanter and compare this to your non-decanted wine.  The decanted wine will be more expressive in regards to flavor and the tannins will have softened.  Please try it for yourself the next time you open a red wine, if you have not already done so or better yet maybe you already decant?. 

       If you do not finish the bottle the first night it can stay in the decanter for a day or two.  Most homes are on the cooler side this time of year and the wine will hold just fine.  It is important to keep the decanter opening covered when not in use.  Others have asked me, "What about the red staining in the decanter?"  Yeah, what about it?  That just indicates a decanter that gets used!  

     Well, that's all for now.  I have also been asked to tell you that the JuanMaker now has his own Facebook page and you should friend him at your leisure.  Catch ya'll later!!!

            - Juan.          

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My in-laws with the Lombardi trophy.  Check it out at http://tinyurl.com/y9dm5wj

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Holy tartrates Batman!!!

Juan Eduardo Micieli-Martinez
Winemaker - Martha Clara Vineyards
6025 Sound Avenue
Riverhead, NY 11901
Office 631.298.0075 x23
Fax 631.298.5502
Mobile 631.767.5003
Email: phermentation1@aim.com
www.marthaclaravineyards.com

CHECK OUT THE JuanMaker on Youtube.com!

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MCV FARM NEWS - 2/12/09 - Think Spring.

Morning Ya'll,

Well, it has been a while since I have written a formal email but, if you have any particular questions please ask!!! You can ask me on Facebook, Twitter, Posterous, LinkedIn, Blogger and YouTube. I ask that you friend and/or follow me and fan the vineyard on all of the websites I just mentioned. As always if you have questions I will answer them.

The wines are moving along well. We will soon be bottling the 2009 whites in early March. The 2009's will have dynamite concentration of flavor with beautiful acidity. I am quite excited to see these wines make there way to bottle. The 2009 reds are moving along through malolactic fermentation and are starting to enter their teenage years in wine speak... They are still a bit awkward, but starting to come around and show their potential. I have been busy preparing the 2008 blends. I am very excited about these as I am really having a lot of fun looking at all of my blending options.

Blending is much like a conductor, conducting an orchestra. Each blend component is a different instrument bringing a different attribute to the ensemble. Some are big up front, some have beautiful middles, and others have a wonderful finish. However, the whole that is created when brought together will be greater than any part. Needless to say blending is the art of wine making and quite enjoyable at that!!! The vineyard is in its winter slumber, but Jim and the guys continue to tend to the vines one by one.

The vineyard has been in its winter splendor and despite the biting cold is truly a beautiful sight. So, if you can put on a few extra layers and take a winter hike through the vineyard. It is great to see the vines and how they look when they get a "haircut." Talk with ya'll soon and enjoy the winter!!! Think Spring.

Cheers,

Juan.

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MCV FARM NEWS - 11.6.09 - Let the Picking Begin!!!

Morning Ya'll,

 

      Well, harvest will re-commence this morning.  We have had a little hiatus as we have wanted to ride out this most recent batch of nice weather.  Jim and the guys will be going in to pick Syrah.  This is the latest Martha Clara has ever picked Syrah, but the fruit that is on the vine is quite nice and will make a beautiful Syrah.  We will also be picking the little bit of Viognier that we have left out to be co-fermented with Syrah.  The most recent 2007 Syrah is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7%Viognier that was also co-fermented.  This is classic blend that is used in Cote Rotie' in the Rhone region of France.  I am very excited to be continuing this tradition in the 2009 Syrah.  Patience is a virtue in the wine industry and it will be at the least two years before this 2009 Syrah is ready for release.

      Speaking of releases...  The wine club is gearing up to receive their December shipment.  We will be hosting a wine release party for Wine Club Members on Friday, December 11th.  This will be an "action packed" shipment!  It will include the 2007 Syrah, 2007 Malbec and the 2008 Estate Reserve Chardonnay.  All three of these wines will benefit from cellar time and will most certainly raise eyebrows and garner awards of all types when media and competitions gets their paws on these beauties...  2007 was a stellar vintage yielding concentrated wines of rich, ripe fruit balanced with elegant tannins and great acidity that makes these wines a delight to have with food.  The next possible release for Malbec will be 2013!  We will not be producing any of this varietal for the 2008 nor the 2009 vintage.  So, this is truly a special and rare offering that quite frankly... Rocks!  I am willing to admit a small amount of bias, but this is the most limited production wine that I have ever made and at only $24.99 it is an absolute bargain for Wine Club Members. Recently I was chatting with another local winery owner, (who shall remain in nameless infamy) and he informed me that they would be producing a Malbec as well for 2007.  The price for their Malbec will be well over $100 a bottle!!!  You may as well put your hands up when buying that wine because you are being robbed!!!  "Oh, but it was hand picked..."  So was ours.  "Oh, oh, but we used new barrels..." So did we.  "Oh, but it was harvested by nubile virgins on the full moon..."  Yeah, I can't say we did that, but if were up to the JuanMaker...

       In any event Harvest continues to move forward and we will be bringing in the Merlot starting next week and it will yield beautiful wines.  It is late for us this harvest, but It doesn't matter how long it takes you to get to the finish line in the wine industry, it just matters that you get there!  I don't like to talk before the Fat Lady has sung, but I feel this vintage will certainly be well above average teetering on exceptional.  It is not the way that I would write an above average/exceptional vintage to occur, but we are still getting to the same end point.  The only thing for this vintage is that the yields will be extremely low.  Fat Lady, start warming up those pipes!

 

        Cheers Ya'll,

 

           - Juan.   

MCV FARM NEWS - 10.16.09 - Bazooka Jim.

Morning Ya'll,

 

       Okay, well it was a big week.  We picked a lot of fruit this week and I am happy we did.  Originally when Jim and I were discussing to pick we were under the impression that the weather was calling for a chance of a few showers over the weekend.  We had no idea or thoughts that a mini-'Noreaster was on its way!  I am pleased to say that we picked a lot of fruit and I am even more pleased to say that its awesome!  This week saw the remaining Chardonnay picked, Viognier, Riesling, and Merlot for rose'. 

       Jim and the guys came out to the vineyard at the beginning of the week to pick grapes and chew bubblegum, and they were all out of bubblegum!!!  So they picked grapes and they picked lots of them!  As the week went on the forecast began to indicate rain being more and more iminant.  However, it was not until Wednesday night that the weather people began to even mention 'Noreaster for Friday.  Boy, I hope they do better jobs with hurricanes!!!  Also, they discussed the rain starting later on Thursday, but by 9:30am yesterday the drops began to Fall.  Luckily we were just about done with the pick when the rain started!  We had the last 3 tons of Riesling to pick yesterday and the last few picking baskets got a little wet. 

      This is the time of year where I have to make many decisions regarding our wines.  However, there was a lot of work put into the grapes getting to me in the winery.  Based on the quality I am seeing on a year that has offered its fair share of challenges I am very excited about the wines we will have to offer next spring!!!  All of the hard work and decisions that have been made in the vineyard through the growing season have paid off!  I cannot wait to offer a third year of awesome white wines!!!   

      However, the job does not stop with me.  I know this time of year is also a busy one for everyone in the tasting room.  There is no, "I" in team and wine is most certainly a collaborative effort.

 

         Cheers,

 

                   Juan.    

MCV FARM NEWS - 10.9.09 - Will Work for Sugar.

Morning Ya'll,

 

       Well, Fall is most certainly here!!!  Everywhere there are signs of the cooler temperatures and shorter days.  We have several things in the winery and fermentations are in full swing.  Thus far we have Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and some Chardonnay in the winery.  We will be gearing up to pick some more on Monday and Tuesday.  We will be picking Merlot for Rosé.

       This is the time of year in which I call into action my kind friends, yeast.  Yeast are the little guys that make all of the magic happen.  Fermentation is the consumption of sugar by yeast, yielding alcohol and carbon dioxide.  The addition of yeast to juice is called, "inoculation." Yeast come in a dried form very similar to that used for making bread.  However, bread yeast vary greatly from the yeast used for winemaking.

       Most of our wines use yeast that is purchased, but our Estate Reserve Chardonnay employs local yeast.  I allow the E.R. Chard to be fermented by yeast that come in with the grapes.  This is what we call a spontaneous, natural, or "wild" fermentation.  Half of the E.R. Chard is inoculated with a yeast that I have selected and the other half is allowed to go spontaneous.  The natural/spontaneous fermentation is slower, but offers a nutty complexity and fuller mouthfeel.  The commercial yeast offers more of the pear and apple apple characteristics.  The two combined offer a more complex wine that has both attributes.  I like to define our Estate Reserve Chardonnay as Burgundian in style, but North Fork in attitude!  Burgundy is the home of Chardonnay.  Many of the worlds most coveted Chardonnay's come from Burgundy, a region in France.  I utilize many of the Burgundian techniques, but seek to make a wine that is balanced with a bit of acidity to make it a great complement to food!  Keep a look out for the New Release 2008 Estate Reserve Chardonnay!!!  Spoiler alert... It's Awesome!  In any event let me know if you are interested in checking out the pick and/or the winery!!!  Talk with ya'll soon!

 

       - Juan.