The 2022 harvest season in Anderson Valley presented weather challenges. The first problem came in the form of a heat wave with scorching temperatures of 110°F in early September. To mitigate the heat, we turned on the vineyard sprinklers and cooled the vines. However, just a few days later, we encountered another hurdle—a major storm that would bring about three inches of rain. Despite our efforts to suppress the heat, we were powerless against the impending storm. To salvage the harvest, we promptly collected samples from each field to determine the blocks with the ripest fruit. Based on our findings, we had to make the difficult decision of which blocks to pick and which ones to leave to ride out the storm. Of particular concern were the grapes intended for our Pinot Grigio.
The inside of a Europress is being cleaned in this photo. To allow entry, the press doors have been removed. Half of the press cylinder is covered with blue canvas-like material, while behind it, the stainless steel has no holes. This allows the bag to be inflated like a balloon once the doors are reinstalled, squeezing the juice through the perforated portion of the cylinder.
Alfredo moving a pump into a room of ovals. Our Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wines are cool-fermented and aged sur lie traditionally in these oak ovals.
We knew that if these grapes soaked up the rainwater, the acidity would decrease and it would be days before their sugars would rise again. To avoid this scenario, we made the call to harvest the grapes from this block two days prior to the storm. This decision ensured that we retained the lively acidity of the grapes, which allowed us to create a medium-bodied wine with bright acidity, clean finish, and a refreshing taste with hints of citrus and apple. Double Gold Medal-winner. Best of Class. 97 points.
Pinot Gris clusters with two different skin colors; Pinot Gris vines are known to be genetically unstable.
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The inside of a Europress is being cleaned in this photo. To allow entry, the press doors have been removed. Half of the press cylinder is covered with blue canvas-like material, while behind it, the stainless steel has no holes. This allows the bag to be inflated like a balloon once the doors are reinstalled, squeezing the juice through the perforated portion of the cylinder.
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