Live the life of a winemaker

Bottling & Labeling of the Cabernet Franc

Sat, 2 May 2009 08:33:56 -0400

On May 2nd 2009 we finally were able to taste the 2008 Cabernet Franc and bottle the wine, the last step in the winemaking process. An exciting time, particularly because this is our first batch after working with the vines and harvesting the grapes during 2008. This is the time that all our efforts and aspirations are captured into a bottle - a nice, neat little package that you can save for your own consumption or that you can pass along to others.

The first step was to quickly “clean” the new bottles by holding the bottles upside down and blowing nitrogen into them. Next step was to siphon the wine into the wine bottles. The bottles should be filled so that the wine is about one inch away from the bottom of the cork. What this means is that if you are using a cork that’s one inch long, the wine should be 2 inches from the top of the bottle neck. This is important: you don't want to leave a lot of ullage (airspace) in the bottles, but you have to leave enough room under the cork for the compressed air to sit.

Next we cork the bottles securely, a heat-shrink capsule was fitted over the corked neck and labeling was next. After labeling we filled-up our case, it’s best to leave bottles upright for 3-5 days (to avoid any leakage) and then store them on their side at 55 degrees Fahrenheit for six to eight months before sampling it again.

Harvest Cabernet Frank

Sat, 1 Nov 2008 19:41:33 -0400

Today we harvested the last 10 rows of the Cabernet Frank and did help adding the yeast to the bins with Cabernet Frank that were harvested about 5 days earlier. Yeast will convert the grape sugars into ethanol (alcohol) and CO2 (carbon dioxide) and heat is given off in the process. The chemical formula is:

C6H12O6 + yeast --> 2 C2H5OH + CO2

In the US, sugars in the grapes are measured in degrees Brix. In order to estimate the final ethanol level in the finished wine, the simple rule of thumb is to divide the Brix reading by two. Meaning grapes harvested at 24 Brix will yield a wine with potential alcohol of 12 percent.

Fermentation is difficult to initiate if the grape must (juice) is cooler than 57 F (14 C) and difficult to control at temperatures higher than 95 F (35 C). The conversion of sugar into alcohol speeds up as the temperature increases; however, at very high temperatures, the yeast will stop working and die.

It is ironic that yeast produces a substance (ethanol) that is toxic to them. The faster the yeast work, the quicker they tire and the more vulnerable they become to the alcohol they are producing. Therefore, warmer fermentations produce wines of lower total alcohol.

Red Wine Production:
As opposed to other wine types, the main distinction in Red Wine Production is that the skins are allowed to macerate in the must for some period of time. This is what gives red wine its color, tannins, and allows the best to age for many years. The steps are as follows:
1 - Crushing
2 - Sulfur addition: it can be added at this time to prevent microbial spoilage, unwanted wild yeast fermentation, oxidation and browning. Less sulfur is needed for red wine than white wine due to the antimicrobial nature of tannins.
3 - Acidification/Chaptalization: If necessary, acid or sugar is added to the must to achieve balance in the finished wine.
4 - Maceration: Maceration and Fermentation usually occur at the same time. Color, tannin and flavor components are extracted from the skins of the gape. In fact, a wine style can be determined by when the juice is separated from the skins. Maceration periods run from 2 - 5 days, 5 - 10 days and longer - and the length of time spent on the skins directly correlates to the wine’s drinkability upon release.

5 - Fermentation: a red wine fermentation runs between 60 and 95 F. The hotter the fermentation the higher the level of extraction, but cap management is crucial.
6 - Malolactic Fermentation:
7 - Extended Maceration:
8 - Pressing:
9 - Clarification: before, during or after the aging process, wines may be clarified by a series of rackings, finings, or filtrations.
10 - Aging/Blending: Most red wines spend some time in barrels. Barrels provide three functions. They soften tannins by polymerization, clarify the wine and adding a subtle oak character to the wine.
11 - Bottling:
12 - Bottle Aging: allows for the development of a complex array of aromas known as the bouquet. Cool cellar/storage conditions (50 - 60 F) allow the bouquet to develop slowly. The finished melange of smells is incredibly multifaceted and complex. Warmer cellar/storage conditions yield a bottle bouquet much quicker, but the overall aroma profile will be simpler and more one-dimensional.

Carbonic Maceration - also known as whole-berry fermentation, takes place when whole grape clusters are placed in a anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment in order to change their metabolism so that they break down the grape sugars to create alcohol without the intervention of yeast. This is an enzymatic fermentation and it runs hot (85 - 95F) and long (1 to 3 weeks). Most Beaujolais Nouveau is crafted through carbonic maceration. Wines that undergo this process are lower in alcohol, tannins and pigment than wines that undergo traditional alcoholic fermentations.

Harvest Seyval Blanc

Sat, 6 Sep 2008 09:07:51 -0400

The harvesting of wine grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of winemaking. The time of harvest is determined primarily by the ripeness of the grape as measured by sugar, acid and tannin levels with winemakers basing their decision to pick based on the style of wine they wish to produce. The weather can also shape the timetable of harvesting with the threat of heat, rain, hail, and frost which can damage the grapes and bring about various vine diseases.

This year, Sonny is making the decision to harvest the Seyval Blanc about 2 weeks earlier than previous years. This can probably be contributed to the fact that he didn’t do the “green” pruning this year.

Here the Seyval Blanc grapes are harvested by hand. The decision to harvest grapes is typically made by the winemaker and informed by the level of sugar (called Brix). Early winemakers would taste the grape to get this gauge but more modern winemaking would use a refractometer (see picture) to get a measure of the sugar levels. Based on the refractometer reading, the Brix level of the Seyval Blanc sample that we picked, was around 21/22.

White wine production:

Winemaking/Racking

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:37:34 -0400

At lot is changed in the Persimmon Creek vineyard since the last time (April 19th), lots of green, heat and even the grapes are starting to grow. Today we are helping to rack the 2007 Cabernet Frank and we are talking about winemaking, or vinification. Vinification is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes and ending with bottling the finished wine.

Of all factors affecting the quality of a wine, the quality of the grapes more than any other factor determines the quality of the wine. Their quality is not only affected by their variety, but also by the weather during the growing season, the soil, the time of harvest, and the way they are pruned. The combination of these effects is often referred to as their terroir.

Harvest is the picking of the grapes and in many ways the first step in wine production. Grapes are either harvested mechanically or by hand. The decision to harvest grapes is typically made by the winemaker and informed by the level of sugar (called Brix).

Racking is the process of siphoning the wine off the lees into a new, clean barrel. Racking allows clarification and aids in stabilization. Wine that is allowed to age on the lees often develops "off-tastes". The racking process is repeated several times during the aging of wine.

Budbreak & Flowering

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:13:37 -0400

Besides getting exposed to the next phase in the growth cycle of the vine, “budbreak” , we also planted some Riesling today. It seems that we are becoming the “two row crew”. In February we pruned two rows of the Cabernet Franc and today we planted two rows of Riesling.

This time of the year is exciting and challenging, but a lot of things can go wrong, because of the temperature changes you might have to deal with. Atlanta and especially Clayton normally gets a few limited frost days in the second half of April that could damage the vines, and last week we had a few of those nights. Sonny doesn't really relax until we are into the middle of May and the risk of having to deal with a killing freeze in North Georgia are worries of the past.

A few elements Sonny has in his defense against frosts is a frost-protection fan system, with which you blow cold air that has pooled in a low-lying area up, allowing it to be replaced by the warmer air that may be just a few feet above. At the same time placing burners throughout the vineyard will keep the area a few degrees warmer.

The following are activities that take place within the vine that are important or the production of grapes:

Photosynthesis = Is the process by which chlorophyl in the leaves uses sunlight to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) into sugar and oxygen (O2). Photosynthesis is slowed at temperatures less than 50 F or greater than 95 F (ideal is 68 - 86 F)

Transpiration = a process by which water evaporates through the stomata (openings on the underside of the grape leaf). Purpose is cooling. The stomata will close if there is not enough water brought in through the roots to meet the transpirational demand. As these openings also control the intake of CO2, a shutdown will also stop the Photosynthetic process.

Respiration = the process by which sugars are broken down and used by the vine as energy source.

Translocation - is the process by which materials are moved from one area of the plant to another. Sugars, for example, are moved from the leaf to the grape clusters.

Today we also planted some new Riesling. The Riesling selected was crafted on a 101-14 rootstock. The 101-14 rootstock is suited to deep soils of low lime content, not drought tolerant, creates a low to moderate growth, the resistance to phylloxera is good and advances the maturity of late varieties.

Wines tasted:
• 2007 Riesling
• 2007 Seyval Blanc
• 2006 Cabernet Franc

Introduction & Pruning

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 23:01:44 -0500

During our fist visit to Persimmon Creek Vineyard, we were welcomed by Sonny and Mary Ann Hardman. Sonny and Mary Ann purchased Persimmons Creek in 2000 and I must say, this is a gorgeous 110-acre vineyard property. The vineyard is located just outside Clayton Georgia.

At an elevation of around 2100 feet, with cool mountain air and the primarily sandy and alluvial soils of the hillside, the property has a a radically different profile than what most wine consumers would expect. There’s none of that ubiquitous Georgia red clay in sight. The entire property was planted in Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Seyval Blanc. From the start, Persimmon Creek Vineyard (PCV) has been very much a family affair with the Hardmans intimately involved in every phase of the growing and marketing process.

Before we walked through the vineyard and helped prune the Cabernet Franc vines, Sonny gave us an overview and introduction to what challenges he is facing, managing and maintaining the vineyard.

Pruning:
Pruning helps properly maintain the vines, allowing them to produce consistently high grape quality and volume. The grower will cut back what he feels is just the right amount to benefit next season's crop. At the end of every season, you will have to go back in the vineyard with pruning shears and cut away from 80 to 95 percent of the vine that grew during the previous season. You must be careful however, because next year's crop is directly dependent on which parts remain. The decision on what to cut off depends on the age of the vine, soil, variety of the grape, temperature of the growing season, and the style of wine. Delaying pruning until early spring which Sonny does for PCV, tends to hold back spring growth flush that may be affected by late spring frosts (not uncommon in North Georgia) . However, dormant pruning should be completed before bud swell.

Spur Pruning - spur pruning is what we did today and this is easy to do and easy to teach. It’s basically like giving the grapevine a short haircut, retaining one “arm” on the fruiting wire as a permanent “cordon,” (10 to 11 canes long) and trimming back the spurs on the vine (to 2 to 3 buds or 3 to 4 at Persimmon Creek) each year to limit the growth, the reason to leave more spurs is to protect against potential frost damage. Just walk down the row and chop all of the dormant canes down to “spurs” of three (or four) dormant buds.

The first crop of grapes to be used for wine is usually harvested in the 3rd year or better - 3rd leaf. It takes an average of six years for a grapevine to reach maturity and vine vigor will begin to decline after twenty.

The aboveground portion of the vine formed by the trunk and its system of leaves, shoots/canes, tips, tendrils, fruit and spurs is referred to as vine canopy. This network of green encompasses the vine’s microclimate, the environment within and directly surrounding the canopy. Mesoclimate refers to the environment of a particular vineyard (its aspects, elevation, slope etc.). Macroclimate refers to the climate of a particular region.

The Annual Growth Cycle:
The annual growth cycle of the vine begins with budbreak.

Budbreak: This requires an average air temperature of 50 F (10 C). At PCV the advanced bud swell happens in March. April is when you will see the bud burst in the Northern Hemisphere (in the Southern Hemisphere this happens six months later, in August to October). The early shoot growth draws upon the carbohydrates reserves stored in the vine itself, so growth is slow. After 4 weeks, however, with leaves producing photosynthetically, shoots will grow a little more than an inch/day. Flowering at PCV is around the 2nd week in May and is about 40 - 80 days after budbreak. As the grapevine is self-pollinating, neither birds or bees are necessary for pollen to connect with pistil and create the grape berry. Warm dry weather is ideal for flowering. Rain or cool temperatures at this stage will inhibit the process result in poor berry set. Berry set is the result of fertilization and marks the transition from flower to berry. The grape berries initially are hard, green and pea-sized. They are high in acid and low in sugar and are half their final size.

40 to 50 days after berry set, veraison occurs (at PCV 1st or 2nd week in June). This is the point at which the grape berries begin to change color and soften as sugars are translocated from leaf to fruit. Harvest takes place when the grapes are both ripe and mature.

Ripeness refers to sunshine-derived sugar levels: Maturity refers to the flavors that develop in the grape as minerals, trace elements and nutrients are taken from the soil and translocated to the grape. Maturity is directly related to the length of the time the cluster hangs on the vine (hang time). In warm climates, the period from bud break to harvest is 110 - 140 days; in cool climates, 190 - 220 days. The first frost of the season causes leaf fall, then the vine enters a dormant stage. Pruning is normally carried out during the winter’s dormancy to clear old growth in preparation for the new growth of spring.

A perfect wine season:
• Cool and wet winter provides plenty of ground water
• Lack of rain or frost after the first warm days of spring
• Fruit dropped to insure only a moderate crop load
• Mild days and cool nights all summer with no rain or heat wave
• Vines minimally irrigated and moderately stressed
• Warm, dry days preceding and during harvest

Techniques that alter the position or number of shoots and grape clusters in space are collectively known as canopy management The techniques employed are as follows:
Winter Pruning: - removes portions of the previous season’s growth (what we did today) so that the vine maintains a desired shape and size.
Shoot thinning: - the removal of unwanted shoot growth during the spring.
Summer Hedging: - removal of the cane’s growing tips in order to partition carbohydrates.
Shoot devigoration: - the natural slowing of shoot elongation (water stress or forcing an upward-growing shoot into a downward position.
Shoot Positioning: - refers to arranging shoots so that the microclimate has good sunlight penetration and good air circulation to all leaves.
Leaf removal: - the systematic removal of leaves in the fruit zone so that sunlight strikes the clusters, ensuring optimal pigment and flavor development in the grapes.
Trellis System: - There are dozens of trellising systems used around the world, with each one suited to different climate and grape varieties. The overall goal is to get the vine up off the ground. This keeps the vines away from the colder freezing air (or humidity) which may lie on the few inches above the ground and keeps a nice airflow going to avoid mildew and other diseases.

Diseases:
The main diseases to deal with in North Georgia are:
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew
• Botrytis
• Pierce’s disease spread by the glassy-winged sharpshooters and leafhoppers
• Phylloxera
(for more information in these different diseases, select the following link: Viticulture)

To avoid Phylloxera and tolerate specific soil conditions, Sonny selected Vitis Vinifera grapes that are grafted on American root stock (Phylloxera feeds on a vine’s roots, ultimately sucking life out of the vine). The two different rootstock that were selected are, “Couderc 3309 and SO-4.

To avoid and control the Powdery and Downy mildew, sulfur is applied onto the vines as a wettable powder during the winter months. There is no solution for Pierce’s Disease yet, but the elevation of Persimmons Creek Vineyard and the cold winter months will hopefully avoid to having the sharpshooter get that far north.

Besides the different diseases, the sparrow, who uses the red barn as their nesting home can be a pest too. Adding netting just before veraison starts, keeps them from damaging and ruining the crop.

After listening to all the stories and challenges you have to deal with farming grapes, you realize that you have it easy as a consumer. As a consumer you “only” have to get familiar with the different varietals, regions, names and pick the wine that corresponds with your taste (and I though that was difficult....). At least we don’t have to deal with the different weather patterns, lack of sleep, diseases, different laws and hard physical labor throughout the year to get the wine eventually in a bottle.

Wines tasted:
• 2006 Seyval Blanc
• 2005 Trillium late harvested Riesling
• 2004 Cabernet Franc
• 2005 Cabernet Franc
• 2006 Cabernet Franc
• 2007 Cabernet Frank (from the barrel)