How wine is made
1
Growing
Location matters a great deal when it comes to winegrowing. The climate, elevation, sun exposure and drainage of a plot of land are all relevant factors. The hands that care for the vines are equally as important. Tasks such as shaping the canopy, dropping fruit, and turning irrigation valves are a few among many weekly requirements.
2
Harvesting
Months of vineyard care culminate with the harvest decision and the transformation of grapes to wine begins.
3
Sorting
The cellar crew’s first task after harvest is separating the grapes from MOG (material other than grapes). They must meet the winemaker’s demand for ripe berries – nothing green, nothing shriveled, nothing damaged.
4
Fermenting
After sorting and crushing the grapes, the controlled transformation, or fermentation, of juice to wine begins. A great winemaker’s goal is to tell the story of where wines come from and seamlessly bottle them as the purest expression of the soil and environment in which they were grown.
5
Aging
After fermentation, the barrel aging process begins with a variety of French oak barrels. Barrels are made with several different characteristics, such as the size and shape of the barrel, shape of the individual staves used to create the barrel, and the amount of the “toast” level inside. These important characteristics impact the final flavor profile of the wine.
6
Blending
The final process before bottling is blending trials. Blending is the mixing of wine from different vineyard blocks to achieve the right balance of approachability and ageability.
Location is everything & soil is king.