So today we make....wine!

So today, I get my best sweat pants and worst shirt on because its winemaking time. My neighbor Mikey 'eyes' and I have decided to make 16 gallons of something, but we would not what until we source the grapes and taste the options. He thinks Merlot, while I am dreaming Cabernet. We taste the Merlot grapes. Seem a bit flat and bland leaves me not-so-excited. Next taste the Cabernet: hmmmmm, good fruit and all around taste. Ok, 1 down. Next it’s the Zinfandel: Nahh, just not hitting my right where it should. Grenache? Sure, ok, but nah, not a Grenache? Alicante? No friggin way. Grandpa may be disappointed though, if he were alive. Sitting on the other side of the loading dock, all alone is a stack of Petite Sirah. Yes! Petite Sirah sounds about right. I imagine our creation of a dark a brooding chewy red to drink with my charcoal steaks. Nope, Pat, the lady running the joint tells us there’s white mold. White mold? Isn’t that....sugar? What does that tell us? Probably nothing so I ask Pat: “Hey Pat, this means what?” Pat Confirms my ‘nothing’. She offers a discount of $10 per case? Ok, sure. Hey Mikey eyes, let’s make Cab and PS!

4 36 pound cases of each and $220 later, we have his Cadillac trunk and backseat filled with grapes crates. ($23 per for the PS and $33 per for the Cab). We bring it all to his buddy Carlos's home crush and barrel facility: A big double room in his backyard he custom built. Out comes the old crank crush and away we go into 50 gallon tub for each. First the PS, then the Cab. This contraption does not de-stem, so into the mix goes our hands pulling most of the stems out. Easier said than done especially with the Petite Sirah. After about 2 hours of de-stemming and alternating breaks to taste Carlos's lineup from last year we cover the tubs with a sheet and we will revisit in 6 days. Carlos will push the ‘cap’ down daily for us.

Carlos poured us his 2007 Zinfandel which made me almost regret our choice of not making Zinfandel. Great fruit, a good tannic backbone with some black pepper and blackberries. Very nice and Carlos was very eager to hear our honest opinions. He then siphoned off some of his Pinot Grigio that seemed to have a bit of he sulphur still in it masking any fruit. Next was a creamy Chardonnay that had a wonderful mouth feel. The Sauvignon Blanc was very respectable as well with some lemon notes and slightly elevated acid level which would make it a wonderful match for a piece of nicely cooked Lemon Sole. Last was the Cabernet which I found super primary.

Carlos is an all around humble & nice guy with a real passion for home winemaking. To be honest, I never had one, but tasting some of his I surely can see the light. His Zinfandel was the single best homemade wine I have ever had. I had offered to make him custom labels for his wines, an offer he thanked me for, but mentioned that he really wanted to be proud of a single barrel before he would even consider doing such. I told him the Zinfandel is such a wine. Hopefully he takes me up on my offer.

Next week we barrel our wines. (I will take photos and post here for anyone interested). I had a great time and hope it's the start of something we can look forward to on a yearly basis.

2003 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Dark & brooding. The nose opened with some damp forest floor of pine needles and moss. Intense dark fruits of super black cherry, black currant and blackberry, with a deft touch of pomegranate. The palate revealed an amazing intertwined medley of those black fruits with some black & white malted in the mix, leaning heavier toward the chocolate. Wow. The tannins seemed to be resolving nicely although I sensed some chewiness still present. There is too much happening in this wine to put in words. Its somewhat typical Foley and yet I can see the appeal to a wider audience including Foley dissers. The mouth feel was very silky and smooth, but you can't ignore the power hiding under the surface of this iceberg. As others have stated: this is an exotic cabernet with TONS of structure and finesse. A super long minute plus finish and Bobs your uncle.... really

Old bones with life: 1988 Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Old Vines

Zinfandel today is nothing like Zinfandel of yesterday. I am not just pontificating unknowingly here but speaking from much experience. When I just started on this journey of winedom I drank Zinfandel on a regular basis. Purchased by the caseload and enjoyed every chance I could. . Alcohol level were realistic and fruit was spicy and meaty as today's Cali Syrahs are. They were not the big bombastic wines we find today with 17% alcohol. This wine is from that time.
The freshness of this is astounding. The color is a light ruby red with nary a sign of age. Amazing. The nose has great floral bouquet of red roses. There is a fresh red cherry component that is age defying. The palate has a very deftly balanced ad pretty array of red fruits: Cherries, plums, raspberries and pomegranate. There is some tar and tobacco present as well. The mouth feel is soft, but assertive, or as assertive as you could ever want from a 20 year old Zinfandel. The label states 83% Zinfandel, and 17% Petite Sirah. I think he PS has kept this one alive. This was aged in American Oak ad there is just the faintest trace of oak toward the finish, just a bit. A long and well structured finish of 2+ minutes completes the perfect package. WOW. Fully matured and holding on nicely, this was a real treat tonight. It has held up better than many 20 year old Cabs I have had within the last year or so. An old timer hitting a home run. They surely don't make them like this anymore.....Not bad for $15. (94 pts.)

2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon

USA, California, Napa Valley (10/9/2008)
Double decanted 3.5 hours. Nice dark color with no sign of fading. The nose had subdued currants and blackberry with some floral notes. Nice. On the palate the wine walked the walk: great dark cassis with some secondaries of tar, soy, cedar-box (like a new humidor) and leather. The tannins were loosely weaved with a deft acid level. Tame nuances of light oak lingered like a feather. There was a perfect plush mouth feel that oozed class. The finish was long and clean. After reading recent notes on this I did not have high hopes, and I attribute tonight’s great showing to the decant which was perfect...and the wine. Pure harmony in a bottle. Elegant, exact and delish. (94 pts.)