Summary Report for 2020:
150 lbs direct-press whole cluster Chardonnay - Made 10 gallons buttery Chard, and about 10 bottles of pet-nat sparkling wine - hoping to avoid smoke taint
150 lbs of direct-press whole cluster Merlot for 9 gl. of Rose - hoping to avoid smoke taint
300 lbs Merlot - likely smoke taint
54 lbs of Cab from a friend's vineyard - yielded 4 gallons juice - very likely smoke taint, fermented on heavy-toast American Oak chips
230 lbs Petite Verdot - Split into 2 ferments with different yeast/oak - likely smoke taint
500 lbs Cabernet - Split into 3 ferements with different yeast/oak - only one I'm not worried about smoke
5 gallons piquette made from the Cab/Petite Verdot pomace - because why not? It's a COVID kind of experiment. ;-]
All-in-all, this has kept my weekends full from late July-now. The irony is that it was the most work I've done with different ferments going, and aside from the 500 lbs of Cab, it could all be for naught with the fires. Hedged my bets where possible and now the waiting begins.
Used the new bladder press - very, very good purchase. Will not go back to the basket press. My upper arms thank me.
Chard- happily cool fermenting for about 20 days... wonderful tropical aromas.
Look at that must! You can almost smell it...
Glorious day out in Carmel Valley, CA
Putting those new-to-me stainless steall variable capacity tanks to good use - two are filled, with one empty for racking - will see if I can get a welder to put in outlet valves about 4 inches up after I empty them next fall. Also need to figure out a way to warm them up a little.
Rose and Chard - done.
Aaaaand one more pic of happy grapes from 2020!