Winemaker Notes

What's happening in the cellar?

The 2009 reds are being racked off their malolactic lees through tub and screen to drive off the carbon-dioxide. The wine then returns to barrel to absorb oxygen and will evolve for some time. The 2009 whites are going through a stage in the process where they get topped and stirred every two weeks. This technique kicks the lees up into the wine. The polysaccharides that move out of the lees contribute to the mouthfeel on the Chardonnay. It's a quiet, but exciting time of year!