For those that have been following along on our recent wine journey, over the past couple weeks we’ve discussed vineyard activity, timing of harvest, and grape processing at the winery. The last blog focused a bit on sorting, crushing, and pressing, where the distinction between still white and red winemaking bifurcates. To recap, for white wine, grapes are pressed before fermentation to retain their acidity, aromas, and flavors without extracting undesired effects from the skins, pulp, and stems. For red winemaking, pressing occurs after fermentation. What is the distinction here? As we know, the juice (pulp) of a red grape is clear, just like white grapes, so how do we get red wine to take on red color before the must (grape juice) is pressed? 

A wild and woeful journey: Turning grapes into wine

Forget the romanticized image of strolling through sunny vineyards or sharing a candlelit glass. The journey of a grape from the vine to your bottle is a bizarre, messy, and frankly, a little violent affair. It's a tale of sorting, destemming, crushing, pressing, bubbling chaos, and careful handling that transforms simple fruit into a complex and sometimes finicky beverage.

Over the past several weeks in the lead up to harvest, we’ve worked a lot with oak barrels. Mainly, preparing them for this year’s vintage where some of the wine may either ferment in barrels and/or age after fermentation. Either way, prior to any of this, it requires continual sanitation and ozone gas treatments to disinfectant the barrels so as not to harm the oak’s flavor profile. Because barrels are a huge investment to a winery, and susceptible to molds, bacteria, and fungi, the importance for persistent care and attention can’t be understated. So, perhaps some background on these sometimes-overlooked vessels that we’ve all become so accustomed to seeing in and around a winery is worthwhile.

Great wine, as the saying goes, is made in the vineyard. While the art of winemaking in the cellar is undoubtedly crucial, the foundation of a truly exceptional bottle lies firmly in the farming practices employed. From the soil to the vine, every decision a grower makes profoundly impacts the quality, character, and ultimate expression of the wine in your glass.

It’s that magical time of year when the first grapes are being harvested and processed…it’s time for the sparkling wine harvest!

For years, our lives revolved around uncorking bottles, curating selections, focusing on advanced wine certifications and sharing the stories behind every label at our two wine bars/shops. We were the quintessential owner-operators, deeply immersed in the world of wine, but always from the perspective of the finished product. We know how to taste, provide recommendations, pair foods with wine, and tell the stories. What we wanted was to learn…by doing. Understanding the science, the sheer grit and hard work that goes into making the magic happen for every bottle we open. 

We’re Doug & Lacie, a husband and wife duo passionate about winemaking, education and experiences approachable and enjoyable for everyone. This spring, we finalized the sale of our second wine shop and are now pursuing some new goals; we’re currently working at a winery in the Carneros region of Napa, learning each step of the harvest from July through November. We'll be sharing our experiences along the way.