It was a very good year weatherwise, with even ripening and a long growing season. We had some big rains at the very end of the season (3rd week in October) that only affected the Monte Rosso Cabernet since all the other grapes were off the vine. Even with some rot, the Cabernet grapes survived the fermentation well and the wine quality is again excellent.
This year I received 3 clones of Pinot Noir from the Sangiacomo’s Roberts Road Vineyard – in addition to the 115, we received 777 and Swan so we will end up with a nice clonal blend. I fermented and aged the clones separately and will create the best blend before bottling. I also received some of the Peyton’s Vineyard Chardonnay grapes again (I made only a Peyton’s Chardonnay in 2006 and then only made a Sangiacomo Chardonnay in 2007 and 2008), so will be releasing both a Sangiacomo Chardonnay and a Peyton’s Vineyard Chardonnay for the 2009 vintage (however, keep your eyes peeled as they are changing the name of the vineyard).
I received 2.5 tons of Monte Rosso Cabernet this year and thankfully in spite of the rain and rot, and thanks to a judicious sort we ended up with quality grapes which will become a beautiful wine.
I decided to make a Rose from Pinot Noir and not a Rose from Cabernet.
Wines from our 2009 harvest
10/12/09 harvested ~2.5 tons of Chardonnay. Pressed whole cluster in Euro Press, settled overnight and barreled down into 100% French oak, 40% new oak (Billon, Damy). Native fermenation, inoculated with EnoFerm Alpha ML culture.
Baked apple creaminess with dried pineapple, mango and dried flowers – and the typical Sangiacomo, earthy funk – on the nose. A creamy/velvet yet lean entry loaded with melon and lemon curd, baked and fresh apples with lemon zest on the palate, all that is integrated with complex tertiary flavors of hazelnut that support a long and persistent finish.
Balanced and complex, this wine is drinkable now, but should age nicely for another 10 or more years.
Clones: Old Wente
Rootstock: 110R
Native fermentation in oak barrels, inoculated with Enoferm Alpha 100% malolactic fermentation.
Cooperage: 100% French, 20% new. 11 months in barrel.
pH: 3.37
TA: 6.1 g/L
Alcohol: 13.4%
Harvested: 10/12/09
Bottled:
8/16/10f
Produced: 135 cases
10/19/10 harvested ~2.5 tons of Chardonnay. Pressed whole cluster in Euro Press, settled overnight, inoculated with Montrachet yeast and barreled down into 30% new oak, 100% French Oak (Sirugue, Francios Frères, Billon). Inoculated with EnoFerm Alpha ML culture.
Golden color, clear and bright, the creamy hazelnut nose blends with dried sweet flowers on the palate. A firm oaky vanilla spice blends with a tart backbone that carries the wine through the mouth with flavors of apricots and baked apple spice with a consistent and long finish.
Balanced and complex, this wine is drinkable now, but should age nicely for another 10 or more years.
Clones:Old Wente Clone
Rootstock: 110R
Inoculated with Montrachet yeast, barrel fermented and inoculated with Enoferm Alpha for 100% malolactic fermentation. 100% French oak, 20% new. 10 months in barrel.
pH: 3.28
TA: 6.7 g/L
Alcohol: 13.4%
Harvested: 10/15/09
Bottled: 8/16/10
Produced: 140 cases
10/3/09 picked 3 tons of 115 and 1 ton of Swan. The 777 wasn’t quite ready, so decided to pick a bit later. Destemmed the lots separately, the 115 went to tank and the Swan went to bin to cold soak. Harvested 1.25 tons of 777 on 10/6/09, destemmed and sent to bin for cold soak. Let all lots warm up naturally, to allow for native fermentation with gentle punchdowns. After the fermentations were completed, pressed each lot separately into tanks to settle overnight, then barreled down into 100% French oak around 25% new oak for the entire lot (Sirugue, Remond, Cadus, Francios Frères). After primary fermentation was completed, inoculated each lot with EnoFerm Alpha for ML fermentation.
Reddish, purple in color, this wine shows black raspberry and dried roses on the nose with mouthwatering ripe red cherry, cassis, blackberry and some earthiness on the palate. The persistent long finish is bright, focused and silky. Balanced and complex, this wine is drinkable now, but should age nicely for 10+ years.
UPDATE Feb 2018 – Lighter in color, a pale-ruby amber. Light to medium weight. Nose of brambly shrub, red fruits that sinks into a dark cola. The tannins are soft, initially lifted by red fruits, it moves into a core of darker tones of rhubarb and dark cherries. The finish is long with Asian spice and Earl Grey tea-like citrus notes. It is very elegant and integrated.
Balanced and complex, this wine is drinkable now, but should age nicely for another 10+ years.
Clones: 115, 777 and Swan – Blocks 21, 14 and 11
Rootstock: 101-14
100% destemmed Pinot Noir, 5 day cold soak, native fermentation in open-top fermenters. Two punch-downs per day. Inoculated with EnoFerm Alpha for malolactic fermentation.
Cooperage: 100% French, 25% new. 11 months in barrel.
pH: 3.26
TA: 6.7 g/L
Alcohol: 14.1%
Harvested: 10/3/09 and 10/6/09
Bottled:
8/6/10
Produced: 220 cases
Bled from all Pinot clones to both concentrate the Pinot as well as make a saignée/Rosé. Inoculated the barrels with Montrachet yeast (because we had some extra) and after primary finished, inoculated with EnoFerm Alpha for ML fermentation.
Anticipated bottling: April 2010.
Anticipated yield: 50 cases.
10/24/9 harvested ~2.5 tons of Cabernet. There was lots of rot, so we focused on sorting out the bad clusters in the vineyard, and in the winery did berry by berry sorting. Dumped to a tank for cold soak, let the must warm up naturally and inoculated with MT yeast for controlled fermentation. Pressed sweet to tank (had a slight accident and lost about 30% of the lot when the forklift broke during dumping), settled overnight and barreled down into 100% French oak, 50% new oak. When fermentation was complete, inoculated with EnoFerm Alpha.
Anticipated bottling: August 2011.
Anticipated yield: 100 cases.