Vineyard Diary

 

We want to thank our clients for a successful conclusion to the unique 2010 growing season.  The grapes eventually all ripened, and we were able to find homes for all but a few specimens which got taken out by the fall rains.  We enjoyed seeing a lot of familiar faces again as well as meeting some new people:  in 2010, we provided grapes for a total of 3 commercial wineries and 8 home winemakers.  We sincerely hope that we’ve provided the raw material for some stellar wines that will show well in competitions and, more importantly, in the glass.  A special thanks to those who brought us samples of your past efforts with Shaker Ridge grapes:  we always enjoy these, and have been blown away by some very impressive wines. 

As usual, we will take the down time afforded by the off-season to recuperate from the season’s toils as well as re-think our operations and see what might do differently or better.  We tentatively plan to post 2011 pricing and begin taking orders for next season in January, 2011.

Grape Chemistry

 

Varietal Date Sugar (Brix) pH Total Acidity (%)
Primitivo 9-03-10 20.8 3.13 1.48
  9-10-10 21.8 3.27 1.20
  9-17-10 24.0 3.37 1.00
  9-23-10 (#1) 24.6 3.50 0.90
  9-23-10 (#2) 25.0 3.45 0.98
  9-23-10 (mean) 24.8 3.48 0.94
  9-30-10 27.8 3.70 0.89
  10-14-10 (late) 28.4 3.70 0.74
         
Barbera (Block 4) 9-10-10 23.5 3.04 1.62
  9-17-10 25.6 3.14 1.60
  9-24-10 25.6 3.16 1.48
  9-30-10 27.6 3.26 1.38
  10-07-10 27.4 3.31 1.05
         
Barbera (Block 2M) 10-03-10 25.5 3.15 1.25
         
Barbera (Block 1/2) 10-03-10 27.5 3.09 1.21
         
Barbera (Block 1/2/M) 10-07-10 26.0 3.16 1.16
  10-14-10 27.5 3.18 1.17
         
Barbera (Block 1/3) 10-29-10 26.9 3.20 1.07
         
Tempranillo (Quinta) 9-03-10 21.2 3.37 0.76
  9-10-10 21.4 3.46 0.58
  9-17-10 22.6 3.48 0.59
  9-24-10 23.0 3.59 0.55
  9-30-10 24.8 3.64 0.50
  10-2-10 (crush) 24.4 3.71 0.44
         
Touriga Nacional (Quinta) 9-10-10 21.3 3.17 0.88
  9-17-10 23.2 3.25 0.87
  9-24-10 24.2 3.32 0.71
  9-30-10 27.5 3.43 0.79
  10-10-10 (crush) 26.0 3.40 0.64
         
Touriga 9-30-10 22.9 3.38 0.95
  10-13-10 23.2 3.44 0.68
         
Tinto Cao 10-14-10 28.0 3.64 0.66
         

Vineyard Diary

 

The harvest season is winding down, though some very good (and ripe) fruit remains hanging.  The days are getting progressively shorter, and some rain is in the forecast, so the long-awaited “off season” period of rest can’t be far off.

Still available for dry style wines are barbera and touriga.  The barbera is pickable now, but with green plants and some sunshine still in the forecast, may also benefit from additional hangtime to lower the acidity.  The fruit is at a about 27 brix now, so not as high as this one has can get in this area and in our experience.  The touriga is also pickable but appears to need a little more hang time to get the brix up; it’s currently at a little over 23 brix.

On the late harvest (dessert wine) side, there are some excellent possibilities.  Tinto cao, a thick-skinned classical port grape, has attained a degree of ripeness that we have never seen previously in our vineyard; it’s at 28 brix, and with respectable acid.  Visually, the small tinto cao berries (which come in loose clusters) seem to have achieved high sugar levels with a minimum of dehydration.  The touriga nacional, a mainstay of traditional port-style wines, has 26 plus brix and is fully ripe, though with some raisining.  It is past optimal time for a dry wine, and should be picked soon for best results on the dessert wine side.  Finally, some delicious primitivo fruit remains a possibility for late harvest wines; the fruit is in very good shape and is sporting sugars in the 28+ brix range.

Grape Chemistry

 

Varietal Date Sugar (Brix) pH Total Acidity (%)
Primitivo 9-03-10 20.8 3.13 1.48
  9-10-10 21.8 3.27 1.20
  9-17-10 24.0 3.37 1.00
  9-23-10 (#1) 24.6 3.50 0.90
  9-23-10 (#2) 25.0 3.45 0.98
  9-23-10 (mean) 24.8 3.48 0.94
  9-30-10 27.8 3.70 0.89
  10-14-10 (late) 28.4 3.70 0.74
         
Barbera (Block 4) 9-10-10 23.5 3.04 1.62
  9-17-10 25.6 3.14 1.60
  9-24-10 25.6 3.16 1.48
  9-30-10 27.6 3.26 1.38
  10-07-10 27.4 3.31 1.05
         
Barbera (Block 2M) 10-03-10 25.5 3.15 1.25
         
Barbera (Block 1/2) 10-03-10 27.5 3.09 1.21
         
Barbera (Block 1/2/M) 10-07-10 26.0 3.16 1.16
  10-14-10 27.5 3.18 1.17
         
Tempranillo (Quinta) 9-03-10 21.2 3.37 0.76
  9-10-10 21.4 3.46 0.58
  9-17-10 22.6 3.48 0.59
  9-24-10 23.0 3.59 0.55
  9-30-10 24.8 3.64 0.50
  10-2-10 (crush) 24.4 3.71 0.44
         
Touriga Nacional (Quinta) 9-10-10 21.3 3.17 0.88
  9-17-10 23.2 3.25 0.87
  9-24-10 24.2 3.32 0.71
  9-30-10 27.5 3.43 0.79
  10-10-10 (crush) 26.0 3.40 0.64
         
Touriga 9-30-10 22.9 3.38 0.95
  10-13-10 23.2 3.44 0.68
         
Tinto Cao 10-14-10 28.0 3.64 0.66
         

Current Grape Availability as of 10-09-10

 

Varietal Amount Still Available for Sale Expected Optimal Harvest Time Price ($)/lb(<1000 lb/ > 1000 lb)
Barbera  1-2 tons Mid October 0.75/0.65
Primitivo 0.75 tons Now (late harvest)  0.65/0.55
Touriga* 1.0 tons Mid October 0.65/0.60
Tempranillo 250 lbs Now (late harvest)   0.50/NA**
 Touriga Nacional 500 lbs Now (late harvest) 0.75/NA
Tinto Cao 250 lbs Now 0.60/NA

*”Touriga”, clone 1, 2009 graft.
**NA, not applicable.

Grape Chemistry

 

Varietal Date Sugar (Brix) pH Total Acidity (%)
Primitivo 9-03-10 20.8 3.13 1.48
  9-10-10 21.8 3.27 1.20
  9-17-10 24.0 3.37 1.00
  9-23-10 (#1) 24.6 3.50 0.90
  9-23-10 (#2) 25.0 3.45 0.98
  9-23-10 (mean) 24.8 3.48 0.94
  9-30-10 27.8 3.70 0.89
         
Barbera (Block 4) 9-10-10 23.5 3.04 1.62
  9-17-10 25.6 3.14 1.60
  9-24-10 25.6 3.16 1.48
  9-30-10 27.6 3.26 1.38
  10-07-10 27.4 3.31 1.05
         
Barbera (Block 2M) 10-03-10 25.5 3.15 1.25
         
Barbera (Block 1/2) 10-03-10 27.5 3.09 1.21
         
Barbera (Block 1/2/M) 10-07-10 26.0 3.16 1.16
         
Tempranillo (Quinta) 9-03-10 21.2 3.37 0.76
  9-10-10 21.4 3.46 0.58
  9-17-10 22.6 3.48 0.59
  9-24-10 23.0 3.59 0.55
  9-30-10 24.8 3.64 0.50
         
Touriga Nacional (Quinta) 9-10-10 21.3 3.17 0.88
  9-17-10 23.2 3.25 0.87
  9-24-10 24.2 3.32 0.71
  9-30-10 27.5 3.43 0.79
         
Touriga 9-30-10 22.9 3.38 0.95
         

Grape Chemistry

Varietal Date Sugar (Brix) pH Total Acidity (%)
Primitivo 9-03-10 20.8 3.13 1.48
  9-10-10 21.8 3.27 1.20
  9-17-10 24.0 3.37 1.00
  9-23-10 (#1) 24.6 3.50 0.90
  9-23-10 (#2) 25.0 3.45 0.98
  9-23-10 (mean) 24.8 3.48 0.94
  9-30-10 27.8 3.70 0.89
         
Barbera (Block 4) 9-10-10 23.5 3.04 1.62
  9-17-10 25.6 3.14 1.60
  9-24-10 25.6 3.16 1.48
  9-30-10 27.6 3.26 1.38
         
Barbera (Block 2M) 10-03-10 25.5 3.15 1.25
         
Barbera (Block 1/2) 10-03-10 27.5 3.09 1.21
         
Tempranillo (Quinta) 9-03-10 21.2 3.37 0.76
  9-10-10 21.4 3.46 0.58
  9-17-10 22.6 3.48 0.59
  9-24-10 23.0 3.59 0.55
  9-30-10 24.8 3.64 0.50
         
Touriga Nacional (Quinta) 9-10-10 21.3 3.17 0.88
  9-17-10 23.2 3.25 0.87
  9-24-10 24.2 3.32 0.71
  9-30-10 27.5 3.43 0.79
         
Touriga 9-30-10 22.9 3.38 0.95