Tricky Vintage

So, we had an interesting trip yesterday to check out the fruit at Keefer Ranch. I have to run so I will explain later but see if you notice a difference in the pictures. Later tonight, I'll update this post and explain in some detail what the pictures show about the 2008 harvest.

UPDATE: All four fruit pictures show fruit from the same row of the same vineyard. This is fruit from the Clone 23 Pinot Noir fruit that Freeman gets from Keefer Ranch. Pictures 2 and 4 show fruit from the side of the row that get less sun and 3 and 5 show fruit from the sunny side of the row. Even though the big clusters (they look like cabernet!) in 2 and 4 look pretty, they are not ready to be picked. They have thick skins, pulp and green seeds. Most importantly, the flavor isnt't there yet. On the opposite side, the fruit is starting to raisin and is much closer to being ready to pick. The clusters are fewer, smaller and tastier (at this juncture). So the picking decision is tricky (unlikely to pick on one side of the rows at a time). The fruit needs to come in before the one side shrivels so bad its all raisins but not before the flavors on the other side come around.

The weather has cooled down the last few days which has let us catch our breath a little bit. It will be warmer today through the weekend which will bring some anxiety - higher temps can accelerate the increase in the sugar levels in the fruit - sometimes before the the flavors come around. We have seen some of that with some of the fruit we have brought in. The skyrocketing sugar levels (brix) in shriveling clusters had to come in from some vineyards before the flavors were where you would typically want them. We have some of the highest brix levels ever for Freeman currently being recorded on the fruit currently in the fermenters at the winery. It's giving Eric and Ed some major headaches. You can't just leave the juice with these numbers or you'll be looking at Pinot Noir with outrageous alcohol levels. All kinds of things are considered - bleeds, water adds, acidification, etc... It's a tough time to be a winemaker. California winemaker's who make great wines in this vintage will have earned their money, that's for sure.