Vajra Straight-Up: Summertime and the livin' is easy...

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Summertime and the livin' is easy...

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SAVE THE PLANET
A half ton (1020Lbs) of red grapes yields 75-80 gallons of wine which is enough to fill one barrel (59gallons) and a few kegs or carboys. Sometimes when really sweet (ripe) grapes are harvested and pressed, water must be added to bring the brix into a safe fermentation range thereby increasing your yield per ton. Water, its scarcity and all of its purity or imperfections has become a much more commonly discussed issue amongst winemakers worldwide. Whether concerning general eco sustainability, specific well or general area water rights,(think Walla Walla Washington and the Barossa Valley ), or the much debated controversial method of using it to adjust sugar levels during primary fermentation, the all mighty H20 has become a really big deal. Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be room for another new super premium garage cab with a 150$+ price tag, sure enough there is another and guess what? Yep,…you betcha! There is some of Napa’s finest stirred into that masterfully crafted artisan creation. California wine laws had been amended to allow winemakers to use so much water in winemaking that it would have the useful effect of diluting the alcoholic strength of the finished wine from, say, 16 to 14 per cent. Australian winemakers too have long cherished their ‘long black snake’ (hosepipe) as a conduit for a sometimes essential winemaking aid – which can always be referred to as alcoholdehydrogenase, or H2O. The amount of water it takes to put a single bottle of wine on a shelf or on your dinner table is astounding!

BARREL GRADING
A routine systematic process conducted by the winemaker and or assistant winemaker throughout the duration of the barrel ageing process. Barrel grading specifically assigns either an A, B, or a C grade to the wine in an individual barrel. Criteria for the grade is determined by the winemaker or wineries stylistic objectives. An “A” barrel for example will show no flaws and will have “A” qualities. “A” qualities are displayed in a wines structure, purity, acidity, overall intensity, fruit profile, oak influence and so on. This is a totally subjective process although remains a critical stage in the winemaking process.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Summertime and the livin' is easy...

No comments:

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