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In Napa Valley - Brix Has Nothing to Do With Masonry
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Brandlin Vineyard
Sep 1, 2010 at 12:16 PM
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The 2010 Vintage - As of Now
We try to engage our Facebook fans whenever possible - and last week we offered our fans an opportunity to ask any questions they like. We think this particular conversation between Larry (fan) and Steven Rogstad (our Winemaker) is worth sharing and hope you learn something new!
Ride with Steve in the Echelon Gran Fondo!
Cuvaison's Winemaker, Steven Rogstad has started a team for this event and is recruiting teammates! Click here to see who's signed up, how much money the Cuvaison team has raised, or to join our team!
What is the Echelon Grand Fondo? "It is a series of European style mass participation cycling rides (Cyclosportif rides) held on epic courses in destination locations." And it's coming to Napa Valley on May 23, 2010 benefiting LIVESTRONG and both The Queen of the Valley Medical Center and The Saint Helena Hospital located in the Napa Valley, California.
Whether you are a professional cyclist or a casual rider, this event has something for you as there is a 30, 60, or 100 mile road cycling option! The race starts in downtown Napa at 8:30AM. Click to learn more»
Don't own a bike? No problem, there is a 5K Run/Walk too! Click to learn more»
Can't make it to the event? Then help us by donating to this great cause! Click here to donate to Steve's Team»
We hope to see you out there, whether you are biking, walking, or cheering along side us!
March Video Wine Notes!
Check out what Winemaker, Steven Rogstad has to say about the March Club Sampler wines, the 2008 ATS Chardonnay & 2008 Zinfandel Balc Mountain!
How to open ATS Chardonnay
Ever wondered how to open a bottle of our ATS Chardonnay? Watch as our Winemaker, Steven Rogstad shows how to break through the wax seal!
Video Wine Notes from Winemaker, Steven Rogstad!
Click to watch what Winemaker, Steven Rogstad has to say about the January Club Sampler wines, the 2008 S Block Chardonnay & 2008 Mariafeld Pinot Noir!
Sustainable Farming - The Inside Scoop!
Sustainable vs. Organic....what does our winemaker Steve have to say about Cuvaison's green practices? Watch and Share!
Lets Hear from a Napa Valley Winemaker...
How do you know when to pick the grapes?
Why do you see different prunning techniques around the valley?
Follow the vineyard walk with Winemaker, Steven Rogstad find out!
...Stay tuned for part 3!
A Vineyard Walk with Steve
Missed the exclusive vineyard tour during our '09 Harvest Party? Watch as Cuvaison's Winemaker, Steven Rogstad explains block farming, weather patterns in Carneros as well as the unique soils.
...Stay tuned for part 2!
Wine Notes for the September Club Sampler
2008 Sauvignon Blanc
From a single small parcel planted to the renowned “Musque” selection of Sauvignon Blanc, our Estate SB is a distinct expression of Carneros. The cool climate and limiting soils that typify Carneros temper the natural vigor of Sauvignon and produce intense flavors of honeydew, lichi, kiwi and lime. Chilled by morning fogs and buffeted by afternoon breezes the skins thicken and the berries concentrate producing a richly scented and densely packed SB. Tank fermented and sur lies aged, this wine is bottled shortly after harvest, without malo-lactic fermentation, to fully capture its aromatic intensity and bright acidity.
2008 Pinot Noir Carneros
An unusually cool spring gave way to a gorgeous Summer in ’08, with an even, temperate growing season. Crop size was quite small and when the heat finally did arrive, it got things jumping in the winery in a hurry as we rushed to pick the Pinot Noir before dehydration could set in. Once in the fermentation vats the pure fruit and lush flavors quickly began to reveal themselves. A classic Carneros Pinot, the 2008 is brimming with fresh berry and strawberry fruit, while the general coolness of the season is revealed in the intriguing lime and orange zest notes lurking in the background. Texturally the wine is quite focused with fine, firm acidity giving away to supple tannins and sappy fruit. This wine should drink beautifully over the next 3 to 8 years.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder
Deep hued tones of mocha, coffee and boysenberry jam leap from the glass. The touch of Malbec intensifies the fruity/floral aroma as the wine warms your taste buds and the silky, plush tannins coat your mouth. The forbidding slopes and free-draining soils have done their work, concentrating the fruit and focusing the tannin of this mountain grown Cabernet. It showcases the best of Mount Veeder, dense, jammy fruit backed by fresh acidity and epic tannins.
Club members....Re-order any sampler wine at 25% savings
with the promo code: Sampler
Harvest 2009, Carnac predicts…
One of the occupational hazards of winemaking is being asked, repeatedly, what the vintage is like before it even happens. It’s like a college freshmen pretending to know what he’ll major in…hmmm, Electrical Engineering, only to matriculate with a degree in Abnormal Psychology 6 years later.
So, like Carnac I’ll try and get straight to your most burning questions:
Answer : When they are ready.
Question: When will you start picking the grapes?
A view of our 2009 Pinot noir, clone 115. The fruit has finally colored up and is uniformly dark, always a promising sign…
Actually, the other super cool omen that harvest is about to begin…
I snapped this photo of a Red Tail hawk diving through the Pinot this foggy morning and it reminded me of the other Red Tail that signals harvest…
Yes, it takes a lot of good beer to make good wine and this morning’s sighting of the Hawk foretells a pending harvest of excellent quality. The sparkling wine makers have begun pulling in the first loads of fruit, which typically start about two to three weeks before we get going. Pinot noir is coming on fast and we could start pulling that in as early as the 8th of September, though I suspect most of it will be the week or so after. Chardonnay will start in earnest the week after that and continue through most of October.
Of more interest will be the Brandlin harvest on Mount Veeder. Given the relatively cool growing season we would expect the Cabs off the mountain to be quite late, but some years, when the cool air settles into the valley at night, it stays warmer up in the hills and the vines push through a bit earlier. As I follow the weather forecasts, like a hawk (sorry, couldn’t resist), the early trends seem to be favoring this phenomenon, which could put the Cab fast on the heels of our Pinot Noir.
Next week the harvest interns start arriving from the four corners of the earth to scrub and polish the winery in preparation for harvest! I will be keeping you all updated via our amazing new blogosphere with even better photos then can be had from my cell phone…