Harvest update.
Tuesday I visited Block E Merlot and our Cab Franc block F…and they looked to be ready to harvest. Julie sampled so we could check the grape chemistry…we look at phenolics regularly and Brix-acid-pH more often … I received the resultsWednesday morning ... and the chemistry agreed with our visual and taste assessment. So Cabernet Franc is coming in today, and Block E Merlot Friday. 
First pressing of the 2006 season. Yesterday we pressed out Block AB Merlot…our first harvest. The drain wine is black red; deeply colored, and such a pleasure to see and taste. Today it will be barreled, into all new barrels from 3 different coopers. This is a full flavored block with a fine history and benefits from new oak, which provides a rich foundation for
the wine, without overwhelming it aromatically with oak. We like subtle, well aged, French oak. See photos of our first pressing: (1) Dark Merlot as it drains from the press; (2) seeds from the bottom of the fermenter - they do not go into the press; (3) Bernard, doing his first press for Vilafonte.
Zelma Long, Vilafonte winemaker
1 comment:
I was at school with Ronald Spies and wondered if this is the same guy? Ken Mitchell
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