New York Cork Report

Early Bud Break, Hot Early Season: Why It Matters

 

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor

Photo courtesy of Sheldrake Point Vineyard

If you're a wine lover but not a wine grower, let's start by accepting a few things: You and I don't know what the heck evapotranspiration is. We can't calculate growing-degree days offhand. We can't lecture on the impact of Mount Pinatubo's volatility.

We know this, though: Debt sucks, and having a pile of cash on hand is good. 

And that, essentially, is what separates 2009 in mid-July and 2010 in mid-July.

"Last year we were in debt from the start with regards to ripening," says Morten Hallgren, owner and winemaker at Ravines Wine Cellars. "This year we have all kinds of cash in the bank."

Before we race too far ahead, and before industry folks hammer me as just another delusional writer, let's get this out of the way: September matters more than August, which matters more than July. So much could change and the vintage story is still largely unwritten. 

But that does not mean that the weather we've experienced doesn't matter. Quite the contrary, it has set New York state growers up for a potentially classic year. 

"Oh, it's very encouraging," Hallgren says. "It reassures us that full ripening will happen. That's what I mean when I say we have cash on hand. We're ahead of schedule early on, and if we have to spend some of that cash later in a cooler patch of weather, we can afford to. If we don't have to, then that leaves the best scenario of all: We wouldn't have to wait for the leaves to fall off before we pick. We'll control picking decisions. We can hang grapes late or we can discover full ripeness earlier than normal. That's pretty nice."

It started with bud break, which happened 10-14 days ahead of schedule this spring. That's consistent with just about all local produce, which has been arriving roughly two weeks ahead at your local farmers market. 

The warmer-than-average spring has given way to a burst of early-summer heat. "If this warming trend continues, we should have very ripe reds and possibly earlier harvest of some of the whites," says Dr. Tim Martinson of the Statewide Viticulture Extension Program at Cornell University. Martinson points out that the Finger Lakes almost entirely dodges a May 10th frost that hit other parts of New York state. "The crop looks nice so far."

I couldn't help but wonder if this is the most extreme set of ripening conditions from one July to the next that the Finger Lakes has seen. Dr. Martinson explains that it's among the most extreme, but it doesn't top the list. He pointed to 1991, with an early heat wave and a very early bud break. "Then in 1992, Mount Pinatubo erupted, leading to the second or third-coolest year on record. It was like a whipsaw for the grapevines and had many consequences over the next few years." (Pinatubo is a volcano in the Philippines that killed 800 people and left worldwide consequences after its eruption.)

If it's too early to make assumptions, it's not too early to conclude that this is the perfect example of why New York state features some of the most diverse vintage-to-vintage conditions in the world. And if you doubt that wine ought to taste different year-to-year, just think back over the past half-decade in the Finger Lakes.

2005: Even, balanced ripening
2006: Cooler, with a deluge during harvest
2007: Historically hot and dry
2008: Hot summer, periodic rains brought botrytis, with cooler, even harvest
2009: Cool summer, lagging ripening, warm September brought some relief

If you're a wine geek, it's fascinating stuff. If you're a casual wine drinker, it's valuable to know the differences. 

Long Island is similarly ahead of schedule in 2010. And while so much can change, just go back to April, when growers were dreading an early bud break. Why? Because an early bud break leaves buds vulnerable to frost. But that frost never came, and ripening was off and cruising. 

In other words: It's nice to dream.

2009 Harvest Update: 2009 "Largely a Success" at Osprey's Dominion Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

A few final harvest reports are trickling in from local wineries, so we'll continue to publish them and then we'll also do some regional round-ups sometime after Thanksgiving.

Over the weekend, I got a note from Adam Suprenant, the UC Davis-trained winemaker at Osprey's Dominion Vineyards in Peconic, on Long Island's North Fork.

Despite the challenges of the growing year, Adam told me that "I am declaring the 2009 vintage largely a success at Osprey's Dominion Vineyard."

He added that he will most likely be producing a 2009 Flight, their high-quality meritage blend, "from the better tanks of red we have" and he also thinks his whites are "above average in quality for the most part."

For those who love data, he shared that they brought in just over two tons an acre on average and that brix readings approached 22 for most of the varieties they grow, "even for cabernet sauvignon and petite verdot."

"Given the growing conditions of 2009, I could not be happier," he said in the email, adding "I was most pleased with how well the younger vineyards delivered in 2009. These vineyards now represent almost 30% of the Osprey's Dominion acreage and are the result an extensive replanting effort begun in 2003."

In other news, Adam is also excited to be introducing two new wines in 2010. The first is a blended white, made from gewurztraminer, riesling and the newly bearing pinot gris acreage. This wine will be the flagship white for the estate and be sold under the Flight label.

The second wine is Long Island's first varietal Carmenere from the 2007 vintage. Both wines will be released sometime in the summer of 2010.

2009 Harvest Update: At Shinn Estate Vineyards It's Balance Above Brix

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

The 2009 harvest drew to a close at Shinn Estate Vineyards on Wednesday, ending what was surely the wildest, wackiest -- and longest -- growing season the winery has experienced on the North Fork. Wildest and wackiest because of the the cool, cloudy, wet start. Longest because they finished up a full 12 days later than they ever have before.

A look at the final numbers might make you think that it was just another year on Oregon Road:

• Cabernet franc: 24-25 brix and 2.1 tons per acre
• Cabernet sauvignon: 23.2 brix and 1.5 tons per acre
• Malbec: 23 brix and 1.8 tons per acre
• Merlot: 23-24 brix and 2.5 tons per acre
• Petite verdot: 23 brix and 1.7 tons per acre

Don't let the numbers fool you though, this was anything but typical.

Aided by a long, extended ripening season, co-owner and vineyard manager Barbara Shinn worked hard to get the grapes that ripe, telling me that they "Pulled out every trick in the book this year in regards to our vineyard practices. For a start, we dropped fruit three times finishing with an average of 12 to 13 clusters per vine. Some of our vines set as many as 28 clusters per vine so dropping that much fruit was remarkable. Secondly, increasing photosynthesis through the use of horn silica once a month aided in sugar development. We also completed a three-year study of manipulating cabernet sauvignon clusters in cooler years. We began the study in 2004, again in 2006, and then committed our whole block of cabernet sauvignon to this very special treatment this year with good results."

That treatment, known as girding or crimping, involves crimping the stem just above the cluster. Doing so reduces water uptake, helping to concentrate sugars.

Shinn also credits a diverse compost program for keeping her vines healthy throughout the season, saying "Using various composts also gave the vines a slow feed of whatever nutrients they may have needed throughout the many times of stress. We use green compost, horn compost, worm compost, wood and leaf compost, and vine/horse manure compost, all applied at different times."

So it was a combination of Mother Nature (hard frost not hitting until last week) and vineyard practices that enabled Shinn Estate to harvest grapes at such high brix in such a cool year. But, making good wine it's not just about harvesting grapes that are high in sugar.

Balance is what matters. Or as co-owner David Page says "It (brix) does matter, but maybe not as much as some would assume. Let's just say that without sugar there is no alcohol. So the question is how much alcohol is enough? You will get wildly varying opinions on that. Low alcohol wines can be 'thin' or they can be 'elegant.' High-alcohol wines can be 'hot' or 'powerful.' Finding balance in our wine is the key, so for us that means riper fruit than what Long Island has produced in the past, but never as ripe as California bombs -- although I have to say we approached that in the great 2007 vintage. Our 2009s are riper than any previous vintage other than 2007. They very well may end up as the most balanced wines we have produced."

2009 Harvest Update: Dropping Fruit Brings In Grapes "On Target" at Keuka Spring

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor
Photos courtesy of Keuka Spring Vineyards

By late August it was obvious to the Wiltberger family at Keuka Spring Vineyards that 2009 had become a challenging vintage. They had to make decisions on how to ensure ripe grapes, particularly the red varieties. Checking out the cabernet franc, they made the kind of call that can save a vintage: They decided to cut yields in half.

"It's made all the difference," owner Len Wiltberger said on a quiet day with most of the grapes in. "We went from nearly five tons an acre to about two and a half with cabernet franc, and it came in just beautiful."

It also helps that Keuka Spring saw enough green in the canopies to hang some varieties until Halloween. They brought in cabernet franc and lemberger to finish the harvest. Winemaker Mark Wiltberger was excited with what he saw in the lemberger, which was particularly impressive in 2007. "We've had a string of nice vintages for lemberger," he told me, already enthusiastic about the 2008 version.

The Wiltbergers are even more fired up about the gewurztraminer, which also hung into late October. Len, a confessed gewurz addict, is thrilled: "When we tasted the juice before fermentation, luscious tropical flavors of lychee, passion fruit, and guava jumped out at us."

This is a family that believes gewurztraminer can stand alongside riesling as the most celebrated grapes in the Finger Lakes.

Unlike some of their neighbors, Keuka Spring did not see canopies fried by killer frosts. "We did have that Keuka Lake snow fall, right in the middle of October," said Jeanne Wiltberger, another family member who works for the winery. "But it was a wet and heavy snow that, thank goodness, kept our grapes in good shape for harvest. One light frost also was not cause for concern in terms of berry survival."

Keuka Spring did not drop croploads for all varieties, but their thoughtful consideration for how to handle a rough year is surely an important sign for where the region is headed.

2009 Harvest Update: A Typically Surreal Day at Hunt Country Vineyards

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor
Photo, of grapes ripening before harvest, courtesy of Hunt Country Vineyards

What is harvest like as we cross into November? Hunt Country Vineyards owner Art Hunt wrote about the back-breaking work, the beautiful images and the speed of the harvest crew.

Instead of excerpting it, I'm posting Art's entire vivid description below.

The day started out at 27 degrees.There was an incredibly thick white frost on everything, making the roofs look like it had snowed. The sun comes up earlier now that we are back on EST and the fog lay thick on the lake below. At 7 a.m., Jon and Bill were already setting up the crusher-stemmer and must pump to crush and refill the red fermenters emptied the day before. Today we are crushing 12 tons of cabernet franc hand-picked on Sunday. 

The faithful picking crew started this morning at 6:30 a.m. on a three-acre young Chambourcin vineyard. Sunday afternoon we picked up, emptied and redistributed enough boxes to supply the pickers for a couple of hours this morning.

Today we need to pick up the rest of the cab franc, quickly spread more boxes and then gather the six tons of Chambourcin. Our picking up crew is mainly composed of enthusiastic retired guys. This is back breaking work. Luckily we have Bob Wilder on the trailer who seems to have back muscles of steel. Hour after hour he takes the 30-40 lb. boxes of grapes as fast as they come and quickly dumps the grapes into a large bin on the trailer and stacks the boxes. At the end of each row, the empty boxes are set off in stacks. I take another tractor and small trailer and reload the boxes on the trailer and quickly take them to the Chambourcin vineyard. The picking crew boss helps me spread the boxes to stay ahead of the picking crew. The grapes pick incredibly fast as the bunches are very large and the leaves are gone. They can pick as many as 20 boxes per hour per person.

By 9 a.m. we have finished spreading the boxes and I return to the pickup crew to help with the lifting. Meanwhile, the fog from the lake has crept up the hill, enveloping us in a thick brilliant white fog.

It was surreal -- like some people imagine heaven! 

We could not see the end of the row. Vineyard manager Dave met us at the end of each row and replaced our full bins with empties so we could keep picking up the boxes.

By noon we had finished the cab franc and were nearly done with the Chambourcin. The fog had lifted and we were again in brilliant sunshine.

After lunch we finished the last of the hand-picked boxes and then started harvesting Catawba with our grape harvester. In about half an hour an acre was harvested with about 4 tons brought in.

I went to White Springs winery in Geneva and picked up 3 tons of beautiful cabernet sauvignon grapes. Returning about 5, the rest of the crew had been sent home and Jon and I crushed those grapes. Then I spent two hours rinsing the crusher and pump and hoses while Jon did tests and made additions to the musts and punched down the caps on the reds.

At 8:30 as we were finishing, we had a fire call and spent an hour standing by at the fire station. 9:30 home to dinner and checking emails.

A long but productive day.

2009 Harvest Update: Letting it All Hang Out at Roanoke Vineyards

Roanoke Vineyards' Rich Pisacano looking out over the vineyard he manages at Wolffer Estate

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Frost hit Long Island wine country again late last week, this time impacting just about every grower. I've heard numbers as low as 24 degrees in some vineyards, and it almost goes without saying that temperatures that low fry canopies and bring photosynthesis to a halt. Sugar levels can rise a bit due to dehydration, but without photosynthesis, ripening can't continue.

As such, most local wineries picked all weekend and are finishing up by the end of the week -- including Wolffer Estate, where Rich Pisacano is the long-time vineyard manager.

But not Roanoke Vineyards, which Pisacano owns with his wife Soraya. He told me on Monday that he still has "80% of the canopy intact, green."

Pisacano isn't sure why his vineyard has dodged frost so well over the years, telling me "I'm not quite sure why we've avoided some late season frosts since planting here. I do think the slight northerly air movement and our close proximity to the Long Island Sound has something to do with it. Perhaps we've been lucky too. Theoretically, the farm should be a bit colder this time of year leaving the vines more prone to damaging low temperatures."

Piscano only grows reds in his Riverhead vineyard, and he hasn't picked anything yet. Not a single grape. He's hoping to let them ripen as much as possible so flavors can develop along with any increase in sugar.

He's planning to pick the cabernet franc over the next day or two and wants to let the cabernet sauvignon hang into next week if he can.

The only active part of Roanoke Vineyards 2009 harvest has been picking the fruit that will go into their 2009 chardonnay. That fruit comes from from a Mudd Vineyard block that Pisacano planted with Steve Mudd 27 years ago.

"It came in at 22.3 brix with 6.9 g/L TA. Spotless," Pisacano says.

Will his cabernet hang well into next week? It might. There is Ida-related rain expected over the next several days, but temperatures shouldn't dip anywhere near freezing.

2009 Harvest Update: At Lieb Family Cellars, a Lot Less Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photos courtesy of Lieb Family Cellars

A quick harvest update from Lieb Family Cellars marketing director, Melissa Schwartz:

"We brought in 3 tons of merlot on Tuessday, November 3 around 3:30 p.m. The fruit came in at 21.5 brix. We had previously harvested 10 tons for white merlot and rosé on October 5 at 20 brix.

In total we harvested 13 tons of merlot, down from 30 tons last year. Although, after the white merlot harvest we did drop fruit to try and help quality."

I'm sure that Lieb Cellars isn't the only winery to bring in a lot less fruit this year, because of all the fruit-set problems early in the season.

2009 Harvest Update: Peconic Bay Winery' Rose Components are In

Vineyard manager Charlie Hargrave brings rose-bound 2009 cabernet franc to the Peconic Bay Winery crush pad.

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

"It’s barely ripe. It’ll be awesome rose, or mid-line quality red. We went with rose."

That's why, according to Peconic Bay Winery's general manager Jim Silver, the 2009 edition of their second-label Nautique Esprit de Rose will be 60% cabernet franc. He added "The cabernet franc was beautiful and clean, but not ripe enough for red wines."

Yesterday, they sorted 16 tons of cabernet franc (just under 4 tons per acre)  that came in at 20 brix from a neighboring vineyard.

They also purchased some rose-bound cabernet sauvignon that came in earlier at 19.8 brix with yields around 2.25 tons per acre. Peconic Bay Winery doesn't put any purchased fruit into their main line, but will and does for the Nautique line, made up of a rose, a red and a white.

The rose will be rounded out by estate-grown cabernet sauvignon.

Jim told me that they are "upset to lose the potential red wines from the 2009 harvest" but added that "When you taste the killer rose we’re going to make, the summer of 2010 will be all the more joyful."

The merlot and cabernet franc managed by long-time vineyard manager, Charlie Hargrave, in the winery's estate vineyards still show great promise, according to Silver, and will come in at well under 2 tons per acre, the result of fruit set problems that hit many Long Island growers this year.

"Our cabernet franc will probably ripen better and be made into a small amount of red," Silver told me in an email.

It might be years like 2009 that further cement merlot as the region's focal point. It ripens the most consistenly and it will dominate Peconic Bay's 2009 releases. Why?

"That’s how the year shook out," said Silver "It was a challenge for sure, but merlot is a trooper!"

Thoughts on the Final Niagara Harvest Report of '09

By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Escarpment Editor

The harvest season in Niagara has just about come to a close, and I’ve spent the last two days harvesting, crushing, and pressing grapes that hung into November. I’m exhausted and I can tell there is a sense of relief in the air that the wineries in our area don’t have to constantly fuss over weather forecasts anymore.

I’ve personally seen the whole spectrum of diseased grapes this year -- underripe one, fragile one and damn-near perfect ones.. So it’s become increasingly frustrating to me to read any sweeping speculation -- including my own -- about 2009.

I’ve also come to the realization that a declaration of the “perfect” vintage (2007) isn’t always as beneficial as it seems. I find myself instantly giving thumbs up or down on a 2007 red, thinking “If they couldn’t make a good merlot in 2007, then it just isn’t going to happen.” I’m not proud of this but knowing everything I know about that season, it’s unavoidable.

Let’s face it. It’s not easy to grow grapes in New York State. Cool-climate viticulture is extreme farming and if a wine is quaffable and pleasant at the end of the day, then someone worked his or her ass off to make it that way. Every year is a tough year and that should make the consumer appreciate the wine even more.

Listening to the spin on the topic of this year’s harvest has been fun. By already declaring 2009 a bad year, I think many simply are lowering expectations, but perhaps the most common spin has been, “The grapes have great acid this year.” Well I can say the same about the wild grapes growing in my back yard but I won’t be making wine from them any time soon.

The one example of spin I do find palatable is, “We are getting good flavors in the grapes.” This is probably the most important of all. Alcohol, acid and tannin can all be easily manipulated while flavor cannot be.

In my conversations this year with local growers, I’ve been able to pick up a few signs that they would rather not be matter of fact when discussing their crop. I’ve gotten used to a wink or grin when they discuss brix levels. I’ve even come to appreciate sarcasm as a response to vintage questions. One winemaker’s response of “best vintage yet” still sums up the tone of the season for me.

A sense of humor is required when you rely on Mother Nature.

Overall, the surprising quality of the reds and whites I’ve tasted these past few weeks though is made even more amazing knowing the challenges each grower and winemaker faced this year. I just hope people don’t let some of the speculation prevent them from trying a 2009 New York wine in the future.

2009 Harvest Update: Aromatic Whites Stand Out at Red Newt Wine Cellars

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor
Photo courtesy of Red Newt Wine Cellars

Why is David Whiting smiling?

More importantly, why is he smiling while holding what appears to be a pitchfork?

We might never know the answer to the second question, but he's happy to explain the first. Harvest has wrapped up at Red Newt -- at least, the final grapes came in to Red Newt Wine Cellars one week ago. Crush has finished, and Whiting is already working with assistant winemaker Brandon Seager to assess the 2009 vintage.

It will take time, but Whiting is fired up to talk about the aromatic whites.

"So far, things look good," he said. "I feel that riesling, gewurz, and pinot gris are outstanding." 

If he's right, it's good news for a producer that has recently focused on a range of whites - from low-priced everyday wines to high-end single-vineyard gewurztraminers. Red Newt has also bottled single-vineyard red wines. Whiting is optimistic but more hesitant to pass judgement on 2009 reds.

"The reds are looking good at this point," he said. "Very mature, but with ample acid and low pH."

Then, seemingly speaking for dozens of Finger Lakes winemakers, he continued: "We'll have to wait for an assessment on these."

New York Cork Report Video: Cabernet Franc Harvest at Freedom Run Winery

By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Escarpment Editor

This video was shot last week at Freedom Run Winery in Lockport, NY. Cabernet franc and merlot were both pulled before another round of wet weather moved through the area. The vineyards are on the upper slope on the escarpment where there is a significant amount of clay in the soil and things can get very sloppy for days after serious precipitation.

The vineyard was thinned to 2.5 tons per acre, with an initial sorting in the vineyard followed by another sorting seen on the video before crushing.

From what I saw the sorting was not for rot or diseased fruit rather just to make sure any under ripe clusters didn't make it into the must. I was told there is up to a 3º brix difference in some of the redder, less ripe bunches so in a year like 2009, no one wanted to take any chances.

In the interest of science and concentrating flavors, a bleed off of juice was done on half the must, meaning there are two separate fermentations happening ­ one with bleed off, one without. A Rhone yeast was selected for inoculation based on a desire for maximum extraction and a full mouth-feel.

2009 Harvest Update: Handling High Acids at McGregor Vineyard

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Photo courtesy McGregor Vineyard

Before harvest has even ended, McGregor Vineyard owner John McGregor has a sense for what the 2009 vintage will offer. 

"There are some people who really love these kinds of years," he says. "They love racy wines. They love acid. Well, we're going to have that."

The challenge will be making sure the wines don't show so much acid that they're off balance. "I would guess that we're dealing with the same issues other people are dealing with in the Finger Lakes right now," McGregor explains. "You can only do so much to reduce acids. So you have to make some adjustments. We still have riesling, vignoles, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon hanging. The acids might not drop much more but we're getting to a much better place."

One significant departure might come in the 2009 McGregor Riesling. "I'd assume our riesling will have more residual sugar than many years, because you want to handle the natural acid."

And just as he is when writing the Clan Club newsletter, McGregor is honest about which grapes are doing well and which are struggling. In particular, he's frank about franc. "Cab franc could end up being the poor boy of the season," he says. "But we've already decided we're going to make a Cabernet Franc Rose, and I'm excited about that. We haven't done it in several years."

McGregor will have more to say about the 2009 harvest at the upcoming barrel tastings, which tend to draw large groups of Clan Club members. The first round of barrel tasting of 2008 reds is next weekend.

2009 Harvest Update: Plenty of Green in Sheldrake Point's Vineyards

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Photos Courtesy of Sheldrake Point Vineyard

Contrary to what you might have heard, not all vineyards in the Finger Lakes have been torched and shut down by hard frosts. In fact, vines located in some of the region's most historically warm vineyards have been largely protected. These photographs taken at Sheldrake Point Vineyards' Cayuga Lake vineyards on October 24 (Saturday) illustrate the value of a warm mesoclimate in the Finger Lakes.

Some sites have proven to be at least five degrees warmer than the average site, and those five small degrees can make an enormous difference when the mercury dips toward the low 30s -- or further.

While many wine producers are understandably bringing in fruit from frost-affected vineyards, Sheldrake Point is letting it hang. "We have had some leaf loss but most of the canopies for our reds are still going strong," says owner Bob Madill. "We'll likely pick merlot early in the week and leave the cabernet sauvignon and cab franc for a bit yet (as well as riesling)."

The one certainty about the 2009 vintage is that it will be extremely difficult to describe in a sentence or two. There is such wide variation when it comes to growing practices, cropping, effects of weather and winemaking technique. We'll continue to provide a broad picture of harvest, but don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you the vintage can be summed up with simple terms. This is a "Pay Attention" kind of year, and those who do will be able to find some beautiful wines.

2009 Harvest Update: Jamesport Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photos courtesy of Jamesport Vineyards

 Getting in touch with winery owners and grape growers is always a challenge this time a year. They've got more pressing (pun intended) things to do than respond to the enthusiastic (okay, incessant) requests from me for harvest data.

But, little by little, the the reports are coming in, including a few emails from Jake Perdie, tasting room manager at Jamesport Vineyards, owned by veteran grower Ron Goerler.

They picked all of their chardonnay last week, at 22.5 brix, and 5 tons were sold to Red Hook Winery in Brooklyn.

Before that, they picked pinot noir on the 13th at 23.5 brix. The quality is good, according to Goerler, but they don't have very much, which isn't surprising given the fruit set problems most every Long Island winery dealt with this year.

The same is true in the sauvignon blanc vineyard, where the fruit that did come in was 23.5 brix and has "incredible mango, apricot aroma."

In the riesling vineyard, Goerler is waiting for more botrytis, so we are portion picking, breaking up the harvest into different lots. "We have 4 new acres for this year and will produce 2 to 3 different styles of riesling," Jake told me in an email, adding that "Ron is very happy with the quality of riesling and feels the riesling had a much better fruit set than other whites. What we have picked so far has come in at 24.5 brix."

Yesterday, they were making rose of cabernet franc, merlot and syrah, portion picking because of uneven ripening. "We will allow the rest of the grapes to mature. Together the grapes are at 21 brix and we are destemming and crushing and pressing the rose today," Jake said yesterday.

2009 Harvest Update: In Valvin Muscat We Trust at Villa Bellangelo

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

You've probably never had a Valvin Muscat before (based on the sheer scarcity of the variety), but Villa Bellangelo on Seneca Lake is betting you'll like it.

Their Valvin Muscat has become a flagship wine, and we were there when this year's crop came in.

Winemaker Darren Bowker estimated the brix to be around 18 with the fruit weighing just over 7 tons per acre. "We'd like a little higher brix and a little lower weight, but this is not a grape that needs to be down at two or three tons," Bowker said. "And just tasting the berries, we're excited about what we have this year."

The fruit, sourced from Glenora Farms, showed some diverse flavors. The greener berries were a touch tart, but the more yellow fruit showed explosive flavors that are distinctly evocative of Muscat wines. Bowker crafts the grapes into a wine called Semi-Sparkling Moscato, which carries a big dose of residual sugar (it's like a dessert wine). "We think of it as a kind of prosecco," the winemaker explains. "There's a bit of spritz. Our customers have just loved it." The winery sells Moscato for $16.99 per 750ml bottle and it has moved quickly.

It will be interesting to see if more producers bottle a Valvin Muscat in the coming harvests. A hybrid developed at the Cornell Experiment Station, you can read more about Valvin Muscat -- and one of its chief proponents -- by clicking here.

2009 Harvest Update: Solving Ripening Mysteries at Ravines Wine Cellars

Ravines Wine Cellars pinot noir being pressed

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor
Photos courtesy of Ravines Wine Cellars

Morten Hallgren thinks he might be close to solving one of the viticultural mysteries of the Finger Lakes.

Hallgren, the owner and winemaker of Ravines Wine Cellars on Keuka Lake, purchases grapes from a handful of prized sites. One of them, Harvest Ridge Vineyards on the east side of Seneca Lake, has seen ripening happen at a very fast pace over the past several vintages. This year is no different; grower Chris Verrill's riesling was showing 20.5 brix when many other vineyards had riesling inching along in the upper teens.

But why? Last year I joined Hallgren on a visit to Harvest Ridge Vineyards in early fall. Verrill wanted to pick earlier than Hallgren had anticipated, so the winemaker drove to the other side of the lake with the intention of instructing Verrill to hold off. He was shocked -- as was I -- to see pinot at 24 brix and other varieties well ahead of surrounding sites.

"I've become convinced that the Lyre trellis system at Chris Verrill's vineyard is making a huge impact," Hallgren says. "Ripening happens very nicely on this system, and there is much more exposure to sunlight." (For an interesting research article on Lyre and other trellis systems, click here).

But Hallgren points to another significant factor: croploads, which are carefully monitored not only at Harvest Ridge, but his other sites as well. The pinot noir from Harvest Ridge came in at 1.9 tons per acre.

"I understand why people are worried about cabernet franc this year, but so much will come down to cropping." he says. "Our cabernet franc that will come from Argetsinger Vineyard (on Seneca Lake) is a great example. Many growers can't get it to ripen this year. But if you see cabernet franc at sites like Sam Argetsinger's, the difference is remarkable."

Hallgren expects to bring in the Argetsinger Vineyard Riesling -- which he bottles in a single-vineyard edition -- late this week. He'll wait for other red varieties such as cabernet franc and lemberger until later this month or even longer. For this Danish-born and French-trained winemaker, vineyard site is the most important component to great winemaking.

"Without strong vineyards and the right practices, you might not have a chance. And when the 2009 wines become available you'll really be able to see the difference between good vineyard sites and bad vineyard sites. You'll see the difference between good vineyard practices and bad vineyard practices."

More than most years, Hallgren is thankful to have discovered some of the most talented growers in the region.

2009 Harvest Update: Accepting the Challenge at Fox Run Vineyards

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

If you get the sense that most Finger Lakes growers and winemakers would prefer never to see a vintage similar to this one again, you might also get the idea that Fox Run Vineyards winemaker Peter Bell enjoys the challenge. An answer man who is one of the most respected in the region, Bell is not trying to spin 2009 into 2007 or 2008.

"This is a challenge," he said this weekend as the winery continued its typical frantic harvest pace. "Sugars are a bit low and acids are a bit high. But if you want to talk about flavors, that's something else entirely."

Bell says the riesling, recently picked, came in with a slightly lower brix -- 19 -- than he's accustomed to seeing at Fox Run. "But we're much more interested in flavors, and this is some of the finest flavor development I've seen in riesling. It should be a special year for it."

Reds are more of an open question. "Whites are going to be very strong. With reds, we don't know yet. But I can easily say that we've seen much more problematic years for reds. This year might require some manipulation, but that's not necessarily unusual."

Indeed, some of the most enjoyable wines come from the best producers in challenging vintages. Bell says that the best vineyards in the Finger Lakes will have a strong advantage this year. "Those who made the right decisions all through the summer and into the fall are going to be in great position." 

Indian Summer Finally On the Way: Just In Time or Too Late?

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Photo, taken this morning from Heron Hill's riesling vineyard, is courtesy of Heron Hill Winery

There is a vital question that will soon be answered in the Finger Lakes: Is it too late for an Indian summer?

Next week, meteorologists expect temperatures to soar back into the mid-60s. But we've been mired in the mid-40s for nearly a week. Grapes still on the vine have been hanging tough, though they haven't been adding much sugar.

To my surprise, I found a wide range of ideas and opinions about what the vines are capable of next week and beyond.

I asked a variety of people in the industry the following: Can the vines still "re-charge," making new sugar for grapes, or will they "shut down" even though there hasn't been a killer frost?

The first grower, who asked not to be identified, said: "Absolutely vines can and will do that. And we need them to do it this year. For us, it's silly to pick varieties like riesling already when there's more development to come. Yes, there's a difference between 55 degrees and 65 degrees and 75 degrees, but the grapes will have a chance to add sugar if the forecast holds up."

John Ingle, owner of Heron Hill Winery and a long-time grape grower at Ingle Vineyard, didn't want to make a declaration one way or the other: "Ask 30 different people and you'll get 30 different answers. The truth is we don't know. We've seen the process hit a wall even without that killer frost you mention. But we're hopeful there's still more time in this season for ripening and sugar development."

But Peter Bell, head winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards, says history has taught important lessons: "I'm not saying it's impossible to re-start sugar synthesis, but I'm saying I've never seen it after a stretch of weather like this. In our view, it's over, and it's time to bring them in. And that's okay. The flavors for riesling in particular are just beautiful."

Bell explains that allowing grapes to hang longer might lead to more sugar concentration through dehydration, but longer hang-time of course brings more risk and more variables. "This is a challenging vintage, but by no means impossible," he says, adding, "There's quite a difference between one sub-50 degree day and a stretch of five or ten. We accept the conditions and now it's our job to make outstanding wine."

We'd love to hear from more growers and industry professionals. Bell and Ingle stressed that their views come from their own experiences, and they respect their colleagues who might disagree about grape development. Other growers were reluctant to attach their names to any statements, explaining that they don't want to offend colleagues. It is never an easy call on when to pick. For those who have decided to let grapes hang, there will be a surge in temperatures, and they're hoping their bet will pay some late-October dividends.

UPDATE: It's important to note that each grower/winemaker is going to have to assess the picking schedule based on each individual site. There are huge differences. Hard frost affected one parcel of John Ingle's vineyard, shutting it down, while other parts closer to Canandaigua Lake are hanging in stronger. One site on Seneca Lake might have been affected by frost and cold, while another might benefit from a warmer mesoclimate. So certainly there is no "one-size-fits-all" pronouncement to make on the subject. As we get more thoughts from growers about whether they plan to pick now or let the grapes hang, we'll add them.

SECOND UPDATE: We heard from Phil Davis, grower for Damiani on Seneca Lake. Davis is letting his grapes hang. He wants to allow acids to drop in some cases, and he also expects to see some more photosynthesis. Dehydration is something Davis hopes to see as well, and he plans to be patient; Davis figures that he lets his grapes hang longer than most Finger Lakes growers in a typical vintage.

Out of Sorts... Comes a Wine More Special

Photos courtesy of Heart & Hands Wine Company

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

This whole hand sorting business seemed like a good idea -- until I nearly threw up on the sorting table. And it wasn't the fact that this was a vibrating table that turned my stomach.

Let me back up. Most wine producers in the Finger Lakes do not hand sort the fruit after it's picked. They rely on vineyard crews to make careful passes when the fruit is still hanging, cutting off the rotting, green or -- worse -- sour fruit. Once the fruit is picked, it is crushed and often de-stemmed. The sorting has already been done in the vineyard.

The challenge is to identify all or most of the problem clusters and berries before they're picked. And it's not as simple as cutting off whole clusters; sometimes a cluster of grapes will be largely clean with the exception of a few problem berries. But those berries are big problems.

Last weekend I joined the sorting crew at Heart & Hands Wine Company on Cayuga Lake as they sorted one of the first waves of pinot noir for still wine. The fruit had come from Sawmill Creek Vineyard on Seneca Lake, and our task was simple: Check each cluster for "green" fruit (under-ripe berries), botrytis (raisined or rotting berries), and sour rot (more on that in a moment). Most clusters were beautiful, and we simply passed them straight to center sorting lane, where they were transferred to the bin. But some entire clusters were affected, and in other clusters we found ourselves picking out the ripe berries and tossing the rest.

This is time-consuming work. Bigger operations that make thousands upon thousands of cases of wine each year might not be able to afford a sorting crew for every batch of grapes. Smaller artisan producers, like Heart & Hands, tend to invite friends and frequent customers to volunteer. 

It was the sour rot berries that stunned me. As in, stunned me like smelling salts would stun me.

Take a look at the photograph -- you can see the cluster, largely healthy on the edges but affected by sour rot in the middle. The grapes, which are like vinegar, are an aromatic nightmare, something that Tim Burton might create if he were directing a movie called War of the Noses. At a distance of two feet the sour rot grapes smell like a sock freshly peeled from a long-distance runner's foot. 

You might imagine my horror when three of these berries entered my mouth.

See, we taste a lot of the berries during sorting to make sure the clusters are ripe. I was tossing things into my mouth haphazardly when it happened, and I ejected the sour grapes from my mouth which such violence that I nearly pulled my neck as I instinctively spat away from the sorting table.

Tom and Susan Higgins nearly pulled their ribcages laughing at me.

"I guess you have to taste the bad grapes to understand just how bad they are," Higgins says. "Well, most people just smell it and know."

Consider that after six tons of pinot noir grapes had been sorted, crews had removed more than 700 pounds. That's a full 6% of grapes removed for a variety of problems, and there's no doubt the finished wine would have been affected by that 6%.

"The sour berries elevate volatile acidity," Higgins explains. "A very small number can have a very serious impact."

And now look at the difference: That batch of grapes arrived showing between 23 and 24 brix (essentially a measurement of sugar). After sorting, the pinot showed 25.4 brix. It's the highest reading Higgins has seen for pinot noir in the Finger Lakes. "We're sorting all of the junk," he says. "It's a huge investment in time and energy, but it's worth it."

Over at Hermann J. Wiemer on Seneca Lake, owner and winemaker Fred Merwarth feels the same way. "I can't imagine doing it differently," Merwarth says. "It makes for some extremely long nights. We were sorting until midnight recently, but when you commit to sorting, you find a way to do it."

Higgins can relate. "The first day Susan and I ever sorted, we were delirious at three o'clock in the morning still sorting away."

I have seen hand sorting at Anthony Road and at Ravines Wine Cellars, but I'm not aware of it happening elsewhere. I'd love to hear from other producers about whether they sort and why they do or do not. It's not the only way to make wine, and certainly the best vineyard managers are making sure the fruit is coming in extremely clean. But my mind returns to those sour rot berries.

I hope there is no lasting effect on my body. I fear there would have been a lasting effect on the wine.

2009 Harvest Update: Heart & Hands Wine Company Pinot Noir

Photo courtesy of Heart & Hands Wine Company

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Listen carefully, and you can hear the din of late-night celebrations at Heart & Hands Wine Company on Cayuga Lake. They are toasting the warm, nearly arid September for resurrecting the pinot noir that is now coming in.

"September not only saved the vintage, but we're looking at some of the ripest fruit I've seen so far," says owner and winemaker Tom Higgins, now in his third vintage. Heart & Hands makes 90% pinot noir and 10% riesling, so there was a lot riding on September. But Higgins says his pinot, coming from three sites in the Finger Lakes, is still two weeks behind ripening schedule.

Roughly six tons have arrived, weighing 2.8 tons per acre and showing 24.5 brix. That's a lot of sugar, and one of the reasons for the higher brix will be explained in an upcoming post on hand sorting, which you can see in the photo above. More pinot arrives later this week, and the final lots will be picked next week.

As for riesling? "November is a possibility," Higgins says. "We're focused on the pinot for now. There are wonderful aromas lifting out of the winery already. This is a strong start."

2009 Harvest Update: Peconic Bay Winery Chardonnay from the Oregon Hills Vineyard

Chardonnay juice being presssed at Peconic Bay Winery -- 20 minutes ago.

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photo courtesy of Peconic Bay Winery

Peconic Bay Winery is picking (yes picking, right now) around 21 tons of clone 124 chardonnay from its 10-acre Oregon Hills Vineyard. 

Brix was right at 22. TA and pH data isn't available yet, but I'm sure we can get that information later. According to Jim Silver, general manager:

"A smidgeon more than 2 tons per acre harvested. Nice low yields. Very clean fruit. Hand harvested and machine harvested both. It’s so tasty, it’s dreamy. I can’t stop tasting it."

2009 Harvest Update: Low Yields at Hermann J. Wiemer

This iconic old barn greets visitors to Hermann J. Wiemer's Magdalena Vineyard

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

In a challenging vintage such as this one, Hermann J. Wiemer has two advantages over many other producers: low yields and a thoughtful picking strategy that brings grapes in on multiple days.

First, the picking strategy, which has been carefully developed over many years -- first by Hermann and then by current owner and winemaker Fred Merwarth. Instead of picking riesling and gewurztraminer in one sweep, Wiemer brings the grapes in during numerous waves. The last of the three waves of gewurztraminer came in yesterday.

"Different parts of our three vineyards supply different qualities for the finished wines," Merwarth says. "Our first pick of gewurztraminer came in at 21.5 brix with higher acids, and the final two picks came in at 23.5 brix and 24.5 brix." That diversity of sugars and acids, along with varying stages of aromatic development, weaves a more complex wine when blended together. The same goes for Wiemer's highly regarded rieslings. Merwarth explains that the first pick of riesling is complete, but the final pick will happen "as late as possible into November."

The gewurztraminer settled at 1.9 tons per acre, Merwarth says, while the pinot noir is in at 2.0 tons per acre. "To be honest, we're thrilled to have 23 brix and full ripeness for the pinot," he says. 

While the riesling is "looking absolutely beautiful," Merwarth admits that the cabernet franc could be in some trouble. "If we don't get above 45 degrees, we could have issues with it. This isn't a great forecast, but there's still time. We're several weeks away, ideally."

2009 Harvest Update: Hudson-Chatham Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photos courtesy of Hudson-Chatham Winery

Saturday morning, I got an update from Carlo DeVito, owner of Hudson-Chatham Winery in Ghent, NY, our first harvest report from the Hudson River Valley region.

Over the past two weeks they have harvested fruit from their four local vineyards "after a very tough year in the Hudson-Valley, which suffered a heavy frost (27 degrees) on May 19th, the crops recovered just in time for harvest."

The first stuff they brought it was from Kinderhook Vineyards -- Elvira, Dutchess, and Seyval, all of which were "about 20 brix," which will become field blend for their Bannerman's Castle Amber Cream.

Their second picking was at the Hudson-Chatham Winery's front block, where they pulled a ton of estate Seyval Blanc also at around 20 to 21 brix.

The third vineyard was from Doug Glorie's vineyard in Marlborough, NY. "Doug's fruit was beautiful! One half-ton of DeChaunac and one half-ton of Seyval Blanc. Around 19-20 brix each. Very nice color and flavor. Very impressive. A nice clean pick too!" Carlo said in his email.

Final pick was of Baco Noir, aproximately one ton from Cassleces Family Vineyard in Athens. Baco was at 21 brix. Dark, dark berries.

They'll be harvesting Chelois this week.

2009 Harvest Update: Heron Hill Winery 2009 Ingle Vineyard Pinot Noir

Pinot noir hanging in Heron Hill Winery owner John Ingle's Ingle Vineyard

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photos courtesy of Heron Hill Winery

This afternoon we have our second quick harvest update, this one from Heron Hill Winery in the Finger Lakes, where they picked pinot noir this morning from owner John Ingle's vineyard on Canandaigua Lake (John is pictured at right). 

The pinot block is only about an acre and they pulled in 2.3 tons of fruit today. Brix was 21.5 with pH of 3.46 and TA of 7.2 g/l.  

Assistant Winemaker Brian Barry says: "The pinot noir fruit from Ingle Vineyard is very clean and the juice has a nice color this year. These grapes are from one fo the two Pinot blocks at Ingle Vineyard. The brix are lower and the acid is higher, so we're waiting to harvest the other block, but it should be soon."

They are cold soaking the must today and inoculating tomorrow. 

Barry added "These grapes have better numbers than I've seen in a few years and very little manipulation will be required."

2009 Harvest Update: Peconic Bay Winery 2009 Riesling

Vineyard workers picking riesling at Peconic Bay Winery yesterday

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photos Courtesy of Peconic Bay Winery

In an effort to bring as many harvest pictures and as much harvest information to the site as we can, we'd like to invite any and all New York wineries to send us pictures and data from their 2009 harvest.

Jim Silver, General Manager at Peconic Bay Winery sent me a few pictures from their 2009 riesling harvest, which took place yesterday under sunny skies in Peconic. 

They picked around 8 tons, which means about one ton per acre, half of what they usually get, but more than they expected in this year of bad fruit set problems. 

Brix was 19.8 and the pH was 3.11. TA hadn't been calculated when Jim emailed me, but I know he's a reader and I'm sure he'll share that information when it's available.

Jim characterizes the fruit as "Fabulously clean and delicate, we’re expecting a superior vintage. Numbers are similar to 03 and 06, but we feel the aromatics and the flavors will be cleaner and prettier, less petrol."