Wine Berserkers - international wine social media, online community, and forums

I find it amazing that anyone would consider popping and pouring a young (15) Levet a good thing! Top of the list on how to get a wine to show poorly. [head-bang.gif] Gordon I brought the Levet and double decanted the morning of the tasting. This is similar treatment used ahead of previous N. Rhone...

It has been the coolest early summer I can remember. The last time our vineyard broke 80F was June 22! Average high since then is 70F. The next 10 days is forecast is a little warmer but with highs still below 80F.

Paul

Just finished flowering at Halcon. That is a little ahead of last year and exactly the same timing as 2017. Cluster counts look a little lower than recent years, likely caused by last year's persistently cold May. Just a little shatter on the Grenache but actual welcome as it means we do not need to...

Our Roussanne, Marsanne and Grenache in full bloom. Syrah just starting. After a slow start we are pulling ahead of the last two years. Looking at the temp chart I am struck by by the similarity between this spring (Apr/May/Jun) and 2015. The big difference was 2015 had a much warmer start/earlier b...

I cannot comment on Napa but 2018 does look promising. If long hang-time means high quality then 2018 should be a banner year. Here are the days between full color and pick for our Syrah: 2013: 9/14-10/12 = 29 2014: 9/1-9/19 = 19 2015: 9/3-9/20 = 18 2016: 9/18-10/8 = 21 2017: 9/13-10/4 = 22 2018: 9/...

Lots of movement this week. The vast majority of buds leafed out and 4-6in shoots in the drier areas. After the very late start, the last week of low to mid 70s has put us slightly ahead of the last two years.

Paul

Todd

Your day two experience is consistent with my CT note from late June - "this is a more open vintage that drinks well now. I find best as a pop'n'pour or give it a couple days of air. A mix of the exotic character of 2013 Alturas and the structure of the 2014."

Paul

Thanks for the great review Todd! Interested to see how it shows today.

Paul

What is the alcohol % on these? The 2016 “Alturas” Syrah was 13.5%. The 2015 was also 13.5% and the 2014 was 13.3%, so pretty consistent. The 2014 has 13.3% on the label but is actually closer to 13% due to some last minute blending choices. The 2017 is 12.7% 2018 version will likely be around 13.5...

Clark VM dropped off the tractor with the tilling equipment earlier this week. Juan took a trial ride through, because he was afraid my vineyard would be wet, still, as many others are. Not mine. Whatever it is, that piece of land has amazing drainage. So Victor finished up the disk job, complete w...

Budbreak, finally. We are certainly heading to a later pick but warmer weather the next week we should catch things up a little. https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/57409172_10157332688544656_696227972641718272_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-sjc3-1.xx&oh=1599669bdc51ac0f414099e1d152131a...

I've been following the rain fronts working their way across the Pacific, and I see no end to them yet. This year is shaping up to be another 2011 for the West Coast. 2011 was notable for a late winter/spring with many very cold blasts of Alaskan air encouraged by record cold water temps off the N....

Our buds are slammed shut. Not a sign of even a little popcorning.
This is our latest bud development ever. On the plus side there is zero frost risk. And nothing that a little warm in early April could not fix.

A little late to the party but here is my take on 2017: - Fortunately coastal Mendo (from where all our grapes originate) avoided any smoke effect. There was a little smoke for the first 24hrs but then the onshore winds cleared the air. There was a lot of survivor guilt in Anderson Valley. - The La...

A little late to the party but here is my take on 2017: - Fortunately coastal Mendo (from where all our grapes originate) avoided any smoke effect. There was a little smoke for the first 24hrs but then the onshore winds cleared the air. There was a lot of survivor guilt in Anderson Valley. - The Lab...

Snowed again last night. Turned to sleet and rain by midday. We are at 58in of rain for the season. That is our average for a full year. Finishing up pruning. Absolutely zero movement on the buds. Going to be a mid-April budbreak at the earliest. Paul What a difference a few miles makes! We have re...

Snowed again last night. Turned to sleet and rain by midday. We are at 58in of rain for the season. That is our average for a full year.
Finishing up pruning. Absolutely zero movement on the buds. Going to be a mid-April budbreak at the earliest.

Paul

We just hit 9in of rain from this storm. Still raining hard. I think that this is the most powerful two days of rain since we bought the property in 2003.

Snowed again last night. Snow level was around 2300ft. That is the fourth round of snow in the last 2 weeks.

Sean Devaney wrote: ↑
February 5th, 2019, 2:56 pm
Great pic Paul. Do you have to do anything special as far as vineyard prep?

No prep needed. Vines are in a deep sleep. No impact on them. We will be pruning at the end of the month.

Paul

A snowy day at Halcon. We get around half a dozen snow days a year but this was an especially heavy one. Close to 6 inches on the ground. Paul https://scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/51059165_10157154203244656_3717494984409088000_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent-frt3-1.xx&oh=34b181e24f5448623...

Happy to extend these offers through the end of Friday (Feb 1).
Thanks to everyone that ordered over the weekend!

Paul

Cris Whetstone wrote: ↑
January 27th, 2019, 1:24 pm
Somebody value the Esquisto, Paul. The CT value was at $1131.00. Now that I've entered mine it has dropped to $856.25. Sorry.

I wish that was the value

P

Dan R wrote: ↑
January 27th, 2019, 12:42 pm
These are world class wines. They stand shoulder to shoulder with wines 4 x the price from the Northern Rhone. The Pinot is exceptional as well.

Awesome people to boot!

Thanks Dan!

Thought people may be interested in a little blind tasting we did a couple years ago - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=140830&hilit=blind+rhone

Paul

Order received Michael. Thanks so much

Paul

Thanks again Pete.

Paul

Thanks Alan!

Paul

Thanks Won. We will call.

Paul

Thanks Chris

Paul

Thanks Corey

P

marycamp wrote: ↑
January 26th, 2019, 11:30 am
email sent for a Rhone 6 pack, looking forward to another great vintage of Halcon!

Thanks Mary!

Paul

Thanks John for all your support over many years!

Paul

And thanks Jeff! I agree - drink more Halcon!

Paul

Thanks Chris.

Paul

Tom Glad you enjoyed the 2014 Alturas. It was a slightly higher acid year. A little less savory profile when compared to the 2015 and 2016 vintage. The 2017 Alturas is a very similar profile to the 2014 - higher, brighter acid, a little lower alc (just under 13%). You should take a look at the Elev...

Tom Glad you enjoyed the 2014 Alturas. It was a slightly higher acid year. A little less savory profile when compared to the 2015 and 2016 vintage. The 2017 Alturas is a very similar profile to the 2014 - higher, brighter acid, a little lower alc (just under 13%). You should take a look at the Eleva...

Our ninth Berserkers Day offering and like last year, we are offering samplers of our Pinots and estate Rhones. This time all wines are from the 2017 vintage. It is a vintage that has created bright wines with slightly higher acid, low alcohols and very pure fruit. For Halcon, 2014 is the closest ma...

We received close to 7in of rain the last 48hrs. Some serious runoff for the first time this season.
That puts us around 28in for the season, close to 50% of our yearly average.

Noah

Glad the Elevacion showed well. The 100% whole-cluster has created a very elegant wine that is a little more approachable earlier when compared to the Alturas (50% WC) from the same vintage. I also like that bit of carbonic character that gives a pop to the fruit.

Pets can, and do, show complexity and nuance when done right. Most, though, kill it with aggressive oak programs, I've seen some proudly display their 200% new oak programs. All I can say is, it seems to work for many a consumer, I never understood this part when Pets grown in a great region/climat...

Like Marcus I observe that stem lignification occurs as a vine is shutting down for the year. I also believe drier/rocky/marginal soils lead to more mature stems.

We got 8.5in of rain over the last two weeks. The ground sucked it up with little run off. I think now primed for the next big storm.
Our first hard frost last night. What few leaves are left will be gone by next weekend.

Like Marcus, I observe the pH shift early during the first couple days of cold soak. For us, though we see a +0.1-2pH shift resulting from the stem inclusion, the TA does not move. I have no idea how that works. The 2013 Alturas, the first year we started using whole-cluster, nudges 4.0pH but a TA w...

Our harvest is a wrap! Picked our Grenache, Mourvedre and a little Syrah (for coferment) yesterday (11/1). The yield was a little higher than previous years but still averaged under 2t/a. Fruit looked good with no significant rot. This was the 11th vintage for us and has been one of the more unusual...

Picked our Petite Sirah yesterday. Surprisingly clean given the late pick. Lowest brix we have experienced (2013 was our first year). Today was our Roussanne plus a few buckets of Marsanne. We have discovered that Marsanne is very susceptible to mildew. Sad to see two tons of fruit rot away. Next ye...

We picked our Syrah yesterday. Crop level around 10% higher than average. Waiting for ETS analysis but looks to be around 23.5b. I am anticipating high TA/malic. Small berries and great color after an overnight cold soak. NOAA has backed off the mid-week rain forecast so letting our Mourvedre and Gr...

Anyone else noticing how high TAs are finishing by the end of ferment compared to at pick? This is the highest tartaric acid year I've ever seen, blowing past even 2011. Roy How does TA increase? I can understand a drop due to malic shift but the other way makes no sense. Lots of high malic out the...

Our Syrah moved the typical brix a week, now sitting at 21.5-23b. Planning to pick for our wine next Saturday (10/20). Our Mourvedre has fought its way to 20b. Assuming the weather holds we will pick along with the Grenache in early November. Oppenlander moved a brix as well (now 21b). Needs another...

After 1.5 in of rain and an average high of 59F the last 7 days, our Syrah brix dropped a little into a narrow range of 20.5-22b. The forecast is for highs around 70F the next 2 weeks. We target 23b, so will likely pick around the 20th. If we get some late October heat we will be picking our estate ...

Search found 476 matches