I took a pretty long walk around the job today. I’m happy to report that we’re winning the war on our mildew problem.
Anyway we’ll be sampling pretty soon for sparkling stuff.
I’m likely going to see the first whites of the season next week, the first reds sometime the week after that. My destemmer is set to arrive the 23rd, so I’m going to need to call in some favors for the reds, but we should be OK. Close to the bay, we aren’t too far off of normal, but hotter regions are 3 weeks ahead. This ‘cooler’ weather has been a godsend for balance at least, although it hasn’t seemed to slow ripening much.
Did some cluster weights today and decided to run some numbers, 20.X’s brix, 3.0X something ph’s. Way more brown seeds than I was expecting. 2-3 weeks out and it will be game on.
Alder Springs Chardonnay this AM at about 17brix. Have earmarked for 9/3.
Semillon next Mon. and then the mid-Sept flood of Mourvedre (6 picks in 2wks)
Nice pic!
The pinot is at about 18 brix and still fairly green. I don’t normally start checking this early, but I looked at this forum last night and had a mild panic attack at all the reports of imminent harvest. I think I let the same thing happen last year. I’ll sleep better if I avoid this thread next Aug.
+1
More brown to the seeds than I’m used to seeing at 18-19 brix tho.
I heard that someone is considering picking (for red wine) in a week or so at one of my vineyards…given that it’s at 19 brix, I’m scratching my head on that.
my westside Paso Grenache Blanc is 17-17.8
What is the average Brix you normally pick at Eric?
I’m happy with 23-24 brix but I’d to see a “reasonable” amt of time between the end of veraison and picking…sometimes those to desires are in conflict with each other. This mainly comes in when a vineyard takes unusually long to get through veraison, sometimes as much as 3 weeks (this is a situation where there’s more than a green drop would solve)…and then a heat wave hits. Your 4 week post veraison fruit is getting killed, but 1 week post veraison fruit is too ‘young’ to pick. This was mostly due to varied exposures of the clusters (some more buried/shaded than others). In these situations, pouting seems to help a lot.
I’m happy to pick at 22-23 brix as well, but those pick were decided by non-brix factors…2011 being the main example.
I’ve made wine I’ve loved from higher brix fruit (higher than 24 brix). Usually the fruit was 23 brix or less and a heat wave hits. Side/background comments on grape physiology: Early in grapes development, the grape flesh is solid…it turns to firm jelly as it gets closer, then the flesh turns to liquid. Syrah, Cab (and others) have thick skins and the thickness of the skins can maintain the integrity of the grapes round shape. Pinot isn’t like that cuz thin skins do nothing to maintain the grapes roundness…so pinot completely depends on the firmness of the flesh. Back to our story: sometimes during a heatwave, many pinot grapes go from solid to liquid flesh and the grapes completely lose their shape. They also seem to lose a lot of their water because of this…meaning the brix shoots up (from 23 to 27 for example). Brix levels like these are quite different than from the same brix levels from a more ‘normal’ ripening. For example, it’s possible to have green flavors at 27 brix after a heat wave, if there were green flavors before the heatwave. The flavors will advance some during a heatwave, but just because the brix spiked doesn’t mean the flavors have gone to hell. After the heatwave ends, the grapevine and grapes will rehydrate back to a more normal level, and waiting for that is usually the right decision…sometimes it isn’t tho, and it’s better to bring the fruit in sooner and rehydrate in the winery. For example, if there are grapes that are too deflated, then it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to rehydrate properly hanging on the vine…in which case picking quick and hydrating in the winery is the best option. My bias is to pick before an on coming heatwave…but I get enough comments about how much whole cluster I’ve used (when I haven’t used any). Unlike cab/etc. depending on the vineyard/vineAge/clone/etc, tiny/subtle green flavors from grapes can be a real asset and can turn into amazing flavors later on (but you have to wait for them). This is one of the whole cluster trade offs for me. Ideally I’d avoid heatwaves altogether…pouting seems to help here too.
Uh, all those opinions were for red wine. I’m making a bit if Chardonnay this year, and my current desire/target is 22.5-23 brix. We’ll see what happens 
Thank you Eric for such an indepth and informative answer.
As of 8/22:
Three Gilroy Merlot vineyards at 21, 21, 17 pH 3.4
Morgan Hill Viognier, Roussane, Marsanne 21 pH 3.2
other reds all < 18
Colombard 15
Paso Robles west side Grenache Blanc
top of hill : 20.6 brix, 0.78 TA, 2.94 pH
bottom of hill : 19.9 brix, 0.94 TA, 2.88 pH
Syrah is 21-25 brix depending on block location
First pick date for PN set for one of our vineyard clients, thursday for Foursight, Friday SB for Navarro, Sat Foursight SB, monday PN for Papapietro Perry, monday night PN for another vineyard client. Then only thing left will be the semillion for foursight. Whew its gong to get hot and heavy fast.
On the first day of August I tasted grapes from a new block of Gamay, its first year producing, and clearly well ahead of the older blocks. I was really surprised by how much flavor the darkest of the grapes showed. We picked those grapes on the 19th, good and ripe. On the 19th I also tasted Grenache Blanc from a 5th-leaf block that had really stunningly good flavor; the average Brix at only about 18 and a half. Today is Labor Day, and we’re bringing in all our Syrah from the foothills, and Grenache and Syrah from Dry Creek Valley. All that’s left after today is Mourvedre from Dry Creek, and it’s not far off. What’s most jaw-dropping to me isn’t that it’s so early, it’s how good the fruit is!
I am teetering on the edge. If I had not harvested in 2007 on August 30, and in 2008 on September 5, and in 2001 on September 11 (yeah, 9/11) - and all those wines had not been well-received, I would be freaking out. Come to think of it, I am freaking out anyway! Keeps you on your game.
All of my whites are in.
-Semillon was 8/26 from Yountville. 25 days earlier than 2012. (and at higher brix and higher acid)
-Chardonnay from Alder Springs was 9/3 at 21.8
-Pinot Blanc from El Dorado today somewhere between 19 and 20.
Picking 1 or 2 (of 6) Mourvedre vineyards this weekend. (Amador and El Dorado)
Crazy year.
Sagrantino and Sangiovese about 10 days ago, now Marzemino and Montepulciano today for Harrington Wines. Grenache and Syrah coming today for Eno Wines too. Getting a little Petit Verdot today for my Gang of Six group too. Probably a lot more for Harrington starting early next week, and possibly Zin and Pinot late next week for Eno.