Fermentation of all the various tanks is now finished. We started the pressing about 10 days ago with the first of the harvest - the grenache from the near side of the vineyard. After pulling out the 'free-run' juice (the juice you get before you press) we use a conveyor belt (tapis) to move the must of juice and skins and seeds from the tank into the press.

With one person inside the tank shoveling onto the conveyor, the other is at the press directing the must into the press. Once filled the press rotates and squeezes the must by compressing from the two ends. The juice then filters through the slats in the side of the press and falls into the resevoir below. We then taste that 'press fraction' to determine whether it should be combined with the free-run. Usually it is not an issue and the two are combined into the receiver tank. See how light-colored the must is in the press - this is because during the fermentation, the color is pulled out of the skins and into the juice.

The last of the three pressings - the "Old Vines" grenache from behind the house and between my house and the next- was finished just yesterday. That tank underwent about 10 days of extended maceration where we keep the wine and skins together even though fermentation is complete - to get that final extraction of color and fruit tannins that help to make the wine more robust. During that period we taste the wine every day and monitor its progress. Over this last weekend we (my oenologist and I) made the decision that it was ready, so into the press it went. But first, I took the 'free-run' juice from that tank, 'the best of the best', and moved it into barrels for long-term aging.

Like the 2009 before it, this wine will sit in barrels for about 1 year before bottling. As the wine went into the barrels, I re-checked the color, and I am quite pleased with the deep, dark red/purple coloring. We got very good extraction from the berries this year, and I think this will be a very good wine when it is ready in 2012!

So Crush is officially finished with the last of the pressing. Now the tasks at hand are to taste and blend the rose components (cinsault and grenache), and wait for the reds to complete their malolactic fermentaion (where via bacterial interaction with the wine it transforms the acid in the wine from malic (think apple) to lactic (milk) - to soften it out but retain its acidic nature. That will take about a month to complete, so we wait.

All in all I think this will be the best year yet for me here at la Lionne - the wines keep improving every year as I get more comfortable with my decisions..mostly that means being patient and not doing things too early. Hard for me because I get anxious and don't want to screw up, but I am learning that the both the grapes and the wine really will 'tell' you when they are ready.

Harvest is done - all the grapes are snuggled into their respective stainless steel (inox) tanks for fermentation. Now in the midst of pump-overs. That's where we take the juice from the bottom of the tank and 'pump-over' to the top. Both the tanks in the picture are set up for it, with the pump running on the tank on the right



The pump runs for about an hour to turn the entire amount of juice over once, and I do that 2 times per day ( 8 am and 8pm). This is to ensure good extraction of color and fruit aromas and tannins from the skins into the juice - if you don't pump-over (or "punch-down" - a technique used in open-top fermenters) you don't get the good deep color -because the skins all float on the top as a 'cap'. As you can see, color is extracted pretty quickly - this is the 'Old Vines" grapes - we picked those on Tuesday and they are just getting started at fermentation, but already you can see the color in the juice as it sprays back over the top of the berries.

That's why we press the juice off the skins immediately when making rose - it takes almost NO time to get too much color. By the way, the rose's are done fermenting - both the cinsault and the grenache. Lovely light colors and lots of fruit flavors - with the acidity you want for a rose. I think this one will be even better than the 2009.

On a personal note, I went yesterday to take the written exam for my driver's license (Permit de Conduit)..FLUNKED IT! Missed 8 questions - you can only miss 4 to pass. Still having a language issue with some of the questions..and then some were just pretty obscure. Wish I could blame it on the harvest - your know, mind elsewhere and all, but....guess I just wasn't prepared. Oh well..BACK TO SCHOOL I go.

HARVEST has begun !!

Late last week we started pulling grapes in from the vineyard. We started with the cinsault - about 3 tons. That took most of Thursday morning. Friday we continued with the grenache from the vines along-side the cinsault. We brought in about 4 tons. The rose will be a combo of the two - to be blended after fermentation is complete (each 'wine' will be fermented seperately). Looks like we'll get about 1500 bottles again this year.

Had planned to continue the harvest the end of this week - Thurs / Fri - but we got RAIN last night and this morning, so we will delay until the first of next week. But, longer hang-time on the vine is better for the maturity of the grapes, and the rain will keep the sugar levels under control. We'll keep testing and tasting the grapes in the vineyard and make the final "Pick" decision later in the week.

Great weekend in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Spent all day Saturday and Sunday with a booth in the middle of the town, along with about 20 other wineries.

With my neighbors' son helping (fluent in French, English, German and Belgian (the twirp), he was a great help to me when I would get stuck with my less-than-perfect French.

Lots of people, lots of sun, and we poured and sold lots of wine. Interestingly, the 2008 Red was more popular than the 2009. I think because it is a little more fruit-forward, and of course a year older, it was more appealing in the hot sun. Of course, the rose went over very well -clean and crisp - but we seemed to get as many repeat tasters (can you say 'free aperitif') as buyers!!

In addition to the sales, I was able to increase awareness of the domaine (lots of people took brochures and cards) and I made a few good contacts for future business, which is part of why I went. SO, all in all, a very successful outing!

VERAISON has arrived - grape color is changing. Things are starting to ripen. And we FIANALLY GOT RAIN !!! After 6 weeks without, we got a dump last night - vines are VERY happy !!!

This coming weekend is the "Fete de la Versaion" in
Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Its their annual (26th) celebration of the founding of the village and its ties both to the church and to wine. Lots of costumes (knights, damsels) parades, food and wine. And a medeival banquet with jousting and swordfights, and all. Quite the deal. I have booth on the main street and will be pouring and selling my 2008 and 2009 red as well as my 2009 rose. Wish me luck !!

A bientot.

The grapes, the grapes..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here it is the latter part of July, and the fruit is set...and even a few are starting to change color.
In Chateauneuf-du-Pape in early August they have a festival to celebrate 'Veraison' - which is the changing of the color in the 'raisins'....as you can see it has started. Looks like it will be a good harvest this year!

On another note - - - the rose wine has arrived in Seattle, and should be available next week at local wine shops!!!! So get your orders in now, 'cause when its gone....its gone !!!!

Hi to All

Did the Open House thing again - this time for the 2009 red wine, last Saturday. It didn't generate a great turn-out, but it wasn't a complete waste of time. Even though I only had about 15-18 people stop by I sold about 20 boxes of wine - so worth the effort. Though I suspect i need to re-think the advertising of it. The direct mail to questionable clients (left over from Julien) wasn't the lure I had hoped for.

In the vineyard, things are going great. We've had good weather for the last month (its in the 85-90 range again this week, for the third week straight..with more to follow. Haven't seen any rain in the last month. So, I've been out plowing between rows of vines, and watering the new plants. With it being so hot...and me being 'retired'..I find myself working for a couple of hours in the morning (9-12) and then a couple of hours in the late afternoon (4-7). Seems to be working so far.

That schedule does, however, interfere with my Driving License schooling. I have not been back to the class in a month or so, so I am way behind. Will try to pick that up again next week. I was just about to the point of being ready for the written exam...and now I've lost momentum...work work work......its always something!!!

On the WINE side, the latest is that I did get about 2500 bottles of the 2009 Cotes du Rhone red into bottles - no issues with the OIVR (the administration) over the quality this time - passed with flying colors!` So, with the Open House, I have that for sale here at the domaine. I have begun to send samples out to people to try...so I can generate some interest....we'll see?!?!!?

The 2009 rose is still selling, slowly, here. The pallet I sent to Nobvle Wines is due to arrive in about 2 weeks - I will be sending out a notice in the "E-Newletter" as that gets closer...so wath for that !!

The 2008 red continues to not sell here, so I have set that aside for now and I am focusing on the 2009. In Seattle, Noble still has some 2008 left...SOOoooo

Remember - ALL I ASK IS A BOTTLE A WEEK !!!

We need to make room for the 2009, by getting the 2008 out the door, so keep up the good work!!!!! I am hopeful that Noble will order some of the 2009 red (sent them samples to try)...but they are more likely if there cupboard is bare................

Other than that things are good. The Tour de France comes close-by again this year - next week - so I plan to go see it (I went and saw a stage (time trial) of the Duphine Libere last month here in Sorgues) - boy those guys really scoot. Not like me on my way to market!!!

Y'all be good out there.