Any winemakers or people in the know care to comment on how the 2014 vintage is shaping up? I know that the winemaking is still in progress, but any early comments on how 2014 (especially given the drought) might look next to 2012 and 2013?
There have been a lot of cases of stuck fermentations this vintage. It’s been a frustrating winemaking vintage from what I am being told. Nothing that can’t be resolved and luckily the weather has been agreeable.
And let me add, these are all drinking exquisitely now. You can wait until they are finished, bottled, boxed and shipped, but why bother? Awesomeness like this only happens 8 or 9 times a decade. 
What do you mean by “stuck fermentation”?
Vintage of the decade! but seriously, it’s a birth year for the little one… would love some assessment although it’s early…
Where the yeast diminishes or stops eating sugar before the wine goes dry. Sometimes it’s a matter of heat, getting the barrels out in the sun. Other times the yeast just dies off. Then you have a barrel 1/2 fermented that needs to restart.
Got it. Thanks for the clarification!
A lot of Napa producers are pitching yeasts though aren’t they Brian? Natives ferments don’t seem all that ubiquitous in the region. Surprised to hear that they’re struggling with ferments stalling. Napa seems like a region that would have a number of designed yeasts and all sorts of bells and whistles to keep ferments healthy and working as “intended”.
I had a lovely, early, and large harvest. It sailed through fermentation and went to barrel very quickly and easily. I put a couple of new French oak barrels on recently (we pressed and initially went into my own “used” barrels that have held one or two or even 3 vintages). A new French oak barrel costs roughly $1000, for those unfamiliar with that part of the process.
I’ll have a serious taste, barrel by barrel, in a few weeks, while looking in on the 2013, as well.
Merrill,
What is the name of your wine/winery?
Look at her signature Alex. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Arghhhh!!!
and they are REALLY good, Alex
Yep. If you make it out to Napa, I highly recommend a visit.
Alex, if you go over to the ITB section of the forum, you can read the extensive thread on 2014 Napa/Sonoma weather, crop and harvest…
You do pick at lower brix than the average Napa Valley Cab correct? You were probably dry before you went to barrel. Others, who pick riper and are in barrel while still undergoing primary, are experiencing different results.
Taylor, this is with commercial yeasts too! Just one if those years it seems.
Yes sir, I believe I do pick at a lower Brix. And of course very dry before going to barrel.
This year clocked in at 24.1. Yep - and I love it. The glucose/fructose came in at 262.3 g/l…and I am not a chemist who specializes in the ins and outs of fermentation…but if I have my wits about me…I’m going to say that if you average the resulting 26.2 g/f number with the Brix number, you might have some indication of “sugar.” Still, at around 25, it is an indicator that falls on the lower end of the “ripeness” scale. That’s where my vineyard wants to go, that’s where I set the general profile of my wine - the one that I grow and produce, and so far, I am happy with it.
But sugar is only a small part of the equation. Aromatics produced? Richness? Weight? Finish? Where to go on the oak. I believe the question in the OP was: “Do any winemakers care to comment on how the 2014 vintage is shaping up?”
Brian - when are you coming by for lunch again? Maybe Casey could join us
Their silence speaks volumes if you ask me. Who wants to talk about how their ferments are dead and the steps they are taking to avoid spending the next two months saving harvest? Perhaps a bit dramatic but, then again, for the winemaker who put his wines to barrel and left on vacation only to come back to a mess not so. I’ve heard stories of guys with tanks stuck at 17 brix! Oh shit!
Brian - when are you coming by for lunch again? Maybe Casey could join us
Let’s do a Monday when I’m not worried about getting back to work!
I’m never working…or always working. Perhaps Dr. Levine will join us. We had an awesome lunch at Solage (where we-all had lunch) with Glenn and Mel. Perhaps a few too many bottles opened, but what fun. Solage treats me very, very well. Always happy to join folks up there. Steve Brown and his wife and I went there last Saturday for dinner. Cannot complain. Except we each brought a wine from our cellar, and each was marginal/flawed.
Sorry to see my name in this toxic thread that I didn’t throw any gas on!