January 31, 2007

Homebrew update

It’s clear this isn’t a frequently updated site, but that’s not for lack of things to write about. First on the list is a homebrew update.

So two weeks ago, I racked my 2006 pinot noir by gravity into a series of tubs. Then I cleaned out the barrel, reset it in the makeshift barrel room, and returned the wine.

The wine seems no worse for the process, and it seems less stinky if not completely clean. I’m now thinking that malolactic fermentation, which will finish up in the spring, might help areate the wine without excess oxidation. We’ll see.

In the meantime, I’ve been thinking a lot about reduction. Some winemakers don’t mind it, but most do and every book on winemaking seems to treat it as the enemy.

I’m of mixed mind about reduction. A visit to Cameron winery last weekend got me thinking that I need to worry less about it. Read more about that visit here from local guy Michael Alberty. I’ll write up something about it next time with more on reduction.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This column seems reduced enough...let's work on increasing it.

I do like the pretty green color!

Anonymous said...

I've wrestled with this one too over the years. I've come to decide that I think a technically perfect wine would be boring to me. I don't mind a decent amount of oxidization in whites (or reds) and I think a certain amount of reduction pleases my nose. I wouldn't want to sniff rotten eggs, match stick heads, cabbage or burnt rubber but I absolutely love flint/minerality, smoke and roasted coffee aromas. Some of the barrels of Pinot Noir we tasted from at Cameron had that beautiful, freshly pulled espresso shot aroma and I really enjoy that. My dad, who loves pure cherry fruit in his Pinots, can't stand it. Reduction is a fine line to walk but I'd to see it completely eradicated in a wine.

Vincent Fritzsche said...

The green color is part of the recent blogger "upgrade," meaning the color of vomit and no other apparent "functionality." Maybe there's gizmos that help google track me. Who knows. I just haven't had time for writing. The short posts aren't satisfying, are they?

Michael, all I know is, if my reduction can smell as nice as some of those Cameron barrels, I'd be a happy guy.