Chateau Michaelena Vineyard

[vinividivici]

Forgot to mention, I do not sanitize the oak beans. They are kept stored in their sealed plastic bag and they are good to go as is. I use about an ounce of oak for every 2G of wine (red). Since I only had 3G and have 6G barrels, none of this wine saw any barrel time so oaking alternatives were the only option really.

Thanks for the info on both, Mike. As I'm growing Marquette, Frontenac and Corot Noir, that tannin addition might be worthwhile.

Cheers,
Bob

 

[grapeman]

Thanks for the info on both, Mike. As I'm growing Marquette, Frontenac and Corot Noir, that tannin addition might be worthwhile.

Cheers,
Bob

Corot Noir actually has a fair amount of tannins on it's own- surprising. Noiret does also, but you don't have that one yet.

 

[Runningwolf]

Tannin FT Rouge is a tannin extract product made by Scott Labs. I think it is a little better quality than other tannin extracts. I added it up front in the Primary and picked a mid range level addition that was listed on the instruction sheet. If you like tannin in your red wine (and I do) Cold Hardy Hybrids (like I am growing) can use a bump as they have less tannin normally than their Vinifera cousins. Doesn't mean they won't make a fantastic wine without there use by any means. Its purely a stylistic choice up to the winemaker. As usual any Tannin addition will make the wine less approachable up front/early in the life but should allow the wine to age longer and have a longer finish in the glass.

Mike I added 10g of this very tannin to all of my Chilean Reds before I even added anything else.

 

[OilnH2O]

Man what a difference from last years bud break. Last year we were busting out all over on this date. This year I still have sticks in the "Nano" Vineyard.....

Good thing as well as we got down to 24 degrees yesterday morning! Todays low was 48. Gotta love spring in the desert southwest......

Same thing here - I'm amazed at how similar it is between here and there!

 

[OilnH2O]

How are they coming, Mike? Should be popping by now!

 

[ibglowin]

2013 Is (finally) off to a start!

We had a hard frost last Friday while we were out of town visiting our kids in SOCAL. Got down to 26 according to the thermometer. The vine up by the house was toast as you can see but is starting to come back. The vines out in the garden area away from the house are much slower to bud which is probably good. They are just starting now. I am concerned about one of the Noiret vines that had my best and biggest clusters. It is either dormant or dead as it is showing no signs of swelling or budding. I will wait a few more weeks but I may have to keep one of my Marquette vines from Double A for that spot. Very strange to say the least after last year. This upcoming week looks fantastic weather wise with highs in the upper 70's and lows in the upper 40's.

 

[grapeman]

We have had a drastic cooldown the last few days and it is getting worse. They have forecast 28 degrees for Tuesday morning. If it gets that low, I will have a lot of burned vines- and they are looking great right now. Here is hoping it stays above freezing.

 

[ibglowin]

Hey Rich,

I attended a meeting today of the Northern Rio Grande chapter of the NM Vine & Wine Society. The topic for this meeting was Cold Hardy Hybrids. We sampled about 4 whites and 8-9 Reds. I volunteered to bring a bottle of your Marquette that I added some oak beans to when I got them back in November I think. It was easily the best red hands down. There were some good wines but yours was the only one people really raved about and wanted to know more about. Needless to say I think I sold a bunch of vines today. Your St. Pepin would have bested all the whites.

Good job buddy!

 

[GreginND]

We were down to 28 degrees this morning. Tomorrow's forcast? 89 !!! WOW, From winter to summer in 24 hours.

 

[grapeman]

Mike I think this year's Marquette will be as good as previous year's, but it will need to age a little longer. It seems to have a bit more tannins in it this year. The seeds were a bit riper at harvest and I took full advantage of that. I am going to oak some of it this year also.

There has been a large interest in cold hardy hybrids in recent years and I think some of them make truly good to great wine, especially the whites. Marquette is good as a new hybrid, but Leon Millot is a great early drinker and is an old hybrid.

 

[ibglowin]

We tasted some blends with Leon Millot as well Baco Noir, Chancellor, Seval Blanc and a few others. Wines came from Missouri, Texas, NM and yours from NY. I wished I had a bottle of the St. Pepin as it would have blown them away. This Fall when things cool down I will reorder some Marquette from you and this time some St. Pepin. I don't think anyone has ever tried that varietal here in NM to my knowledge.

 

[OilnH2O]

... I am concerned about one of the Noiret vines that had my best and biggest clusters. It is either dormant or dead as it is showing no signs of swelling or budding. I will wait a few more weeks but I may have to keep one of my Marquette vines from Double A for that spot....

Mike, even when I replanted some new vines into holes that had "dead" PN from my big freeze several years ago, I left the old vines and just put a rooted cutting in beside them. Several have amazingly come back, even showing nothing for the first year... Either it's my imagination, or these can show every sign of being history, but yet they come back. So... don't be too hasty!

 

[ibglowin]

That vine just might, repeat might be showing some signs of bud swell, nothing like it should have by now. Maybe this is the coldest spot in the nano-vinyard!
I will watch it closely then start trimming it back and see if I see any green. This is a grafted vine I got from Double A (Noiret) so perhaps the graft had problems this Winter. Just doesn't look good. Since its a grafted vine its toast unless something comes back from above the graft. We will keep you posted.

Beautiful day today BTW, the low was 48 and high is supposed to be around 78. Vines are starting to feel safe from further cold damage.

 

[mgmarty]

I have been fighting six Pinot Gris for three years now. This last winter knocked them back to the graft. My zone is 6b and I think the winters are to hard on them. I'm thinking of putting a hybrid in there place next year.

 

[ibglowin]

These are all hybrids most on their own root stock but I did buy 6 on grafted rootstock not realizing I didn't need to. Oh well time will tell and I have a nice new vine to replace it if it doesn't come to life PDQ.

 

[OilnH2O]

When you live in the West, guys, every day is a "beautiful day!"

 

[ibglowin]

Chateau Michaelena: The Expansion!

Well it had to happen sooner or later and quite frankly I am surprised it didn't happen before now. I am just flat out of room. The winery/cellar is stuffed to the gills with racks and racks of wine, barrels, full carboys, empty bottles......

My outdoor shed which is an amazing "toy box" and just one of the reasons we bought this house is stuffed to the gills as well. So much that I can't hardly get my mower out without moving carboys out or cases of bottles......

Time for more space! Costco to the rescue! Picked up an 8"x12" Wood Shed for $1100 with $300 instant rebate and free shipping to boot. I have a large side fenced area that will be perfect for this and it will back up to the existing shed so access will be easy. This will hold all wine making supplies for a long long time (I hope!) We are talking Bottles (must have 100 cases or more), Crusher/Destemmer, Press, Empty Carboys, Primaries (Brute 20G).......

Need to prep the site a bit beforehand. Its pretty level but needs a bit of work. I will post some more picks as it takes shape!

Doesn't look like much now thats for sure!

 

[Julie]

LOL, I love the the way you think, not "I have to slow down in my winemaking." BUT "I need more room!"

 

[ibglowin]

I have got to learn how to say no to free bottles. Its hard as we have some friends that drop off 2 cases ever 3-4 months. Cleaned, and labels removed! How can anyone say no to that!

 

[grapeman]

I thought the first picture was the new shed! LOL- NOT, just a stack of wood for now!