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winemaking

Judd's Hill Barrel Blending Day Camp

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

More and more wineries are offering hands-on experiences that range anywhere from an engaged winery tour to week-long immersions. Judd's Hill in Napa Valley is now offering Barrel Blending Day Camp, a chance to spend a couple hours in a winemaker's shoes. The winemakers help you taste and choose from four barrel samples (two Cabernet Sauvignons, one Merlot, one Cabernet Franc---all Napa Valley appellation) and then talk you through the blending and hand-bottling processes right down to dipping the tops of the bottles in wax. The whole thing takes around two hours and you leave with your wine on that day.

The camp is available by advance reservation and can be open to one to 12 people per session. The Barrel Blending Day Camp at Judd's Hill has several options priced by how much wine you want to take home: $175 per person enables you to take home 3 finished bottles of wine; $325 per person results in 6 bottles; $600 is a 12-bottle adventure.

Tags: judds hill, JuddsHill, napa valley, NapaValley, wine, winemaking, winery

La Melonera, Winemaking Estates in Spain

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Real Estate Developments

I've seen a few real estate developments that combine vineyards and residences in the States and it seems that idea is becoming popular elsewhere. Decanter reports on La Melonera, a new 200 hectare (approx. 495 acres) development in southern Spain's winemaking region, Ronda's Serrania. Buyers will take on a section of the vineyard and make their own wine with the help of expert winemakers. The plots vary between 12 and 48 acres. The estate is planted with local grape varieties including the La Melonera which gives the property its name and the first harvest is expected in 2011. Sales of the properties will begin in June and prices start at 3.5 million euros.

Tags: la melonera, LaMelonera, spain, wine estates, winemaking

What Is In That Wine You are Drinking?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Have you ever wondered what is really in the wine you drink. If you've done a little research on the subject you know that is more than just grapes (a great round table discussion on Wine Business details the types of bacteria, yeasts and other additives used). Bonny Doon Vineyard is about to make it a little easier to find out what is in your wine with labels that will disclose all wine ingredients beginning with the 2007 vintage white and 2006 vintage red wines. The ingredients are listed in two sections on the back label of each bottle of Bonny Doon wine. The first section highlights the wine's basic ingredients such as grapes and sulfur dioxide, a preservative, found in the wine. The second section will point out ingredients used in the production of the wine such as bentonite, (a type of clay used to clarify wine prior to bottling) that no longer remain in the wine. In a press release the company said that they are doing this both to educate the consumer but also to reduce their own dependence on standard wine additions. It's all part of the company's restructuring process which has included an increased focus on biodynamic practice in their own vineyard and encouragement of the same with their contract growers to produce wines that are less technically manipulated.

Tags: bonny doon, wine, winemaking

Adopt A Grape

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

More proof that the current trend in wine is toward being involved in the winemaking process comes in the form of a new website, Adopt a Grape. The website is an interactive experience in which you chose a grape from a specific row and vine in the vineyard and then receive video updates as the grape goes through the growing season and harvest. The site was co-founded by Duane Hoff, owner of Fantseca Winery in St. Helena which is having their hands-on harvest experience on October 6 if you want to experience winemaking first hand.

Tags: adopt a grape, AdoptAGrape, expire-images:2008-9-25, grapes, vineyard, winemaking, winery

Les Garagistes Napa Will Give Small Wineries A Place To Shine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

It can be hard for small-production wineries in Napa to get off the ground. Wines and Vines reports on a new development that could help a select few. Tony Cartlidge and John Hawkins have announced plans to create a village of limited-production wineries for lease. Les Garagistes Napa will be home to 12 individual wineries, ranging in size from 3,500 to 6,500 square feet in four buildings surrounding a large courtyard. The spaces will small wineries a chance to have a tasting room and sales and the site will also be adjacent to a large winery that will offer barrel and case goods storage as well as a lab and bottling facility. No newbies wanted though, the founders caution that they are looking for established strong brands. It should be a benefit to consumers too, offering a chance to taste the work of 12 different winemakers in one space. The project is set to open in August 2009.

Tags: les gargistes, napa, napa valley, napa wineries, wine, winemaker, winemaking, wineries

Amici Cellars Wine Week Package

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

How about a vacation where your souvenir is 288 bottles of wine (or rather, the promise of those bottles of wine). That's the offer from Amici Cellars. John and Sharon Harris of Amici Cellars rent out two villas, one in St. Emilion in Bordeaux and one in Napa Valley. Both are available for rent for $25,000 to $36,000 a month rent, depending on the season. They also offer a special package during harvest season (usually September and October). Their seven-day package in Napa includes seven nights at the Domaine Beau Soleil villa (check out the view from the pool above), hands-on wine making instruction, harvesting, private winery tours, food and wine pairing lessons and even spa treatments. At the end of your week, you leave and your Amici Cellars, Single-Designated Hillside Jericho Canyon Cabernet stays for 18-24 months where it rests in French oak barrels. Once your wine is ready it will be specially labeled and bottled with your name on it. The package sells for $32,000.

Tags: amici cellars, AmiciCellars, cabernet, calistoga, napa valley, NapaValley, wine, wine harvest, WineHarvest, winemaking

New Company Makes Innovative Use Of Wine Leftovers

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Wine, Green

Yesterday I mentioned distilleries that use old whisky casks as barbecue chips and it got me thinking about winemaking leftovers. That's when I ran across this story, on Apres Vin, a new company in Washington that specializes in using winemaking leftovers. The company creates gourmet grape seed oils based on varietals such as Riesling and Merlot infused with chipotle. The ground-up seed meal from creating the oil can also be dried to make varietal flours such as Merlot and Chardonnay, which can create purple tinted baked goods. The flour is also high in antioxidants. The company is also exploring other options such as wood stove pellet fuel made from grape stems and seeds, paper and ink from the grape skins and even Chardonnay biodiesel. The company's website isn't live yet and so far the products aren't available in a lot of places but I think this is a brilliant idea and one I hope takes off.

Tags: apres vin, ApresVin, biodiesel, grapes, washington, wine, winemaking

Ancient Winemaking Technique Revived in Napa

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Most winemakers are interested in the latest technology and newest techniques. Dave Del Dotto of Del Dotto Vineyards in California is seeking to take a step backward, fermenting some of his wines in giant clay amphorae, the vessels used by the ancient winemakers to make wine. Del Dotto, who is also completing a new property with wine caves and a marble-columned room south of St. Helena, bought four amphorae in Tuscany. The clay vessels are said to be 300 years old and cost him $15,000 each. He has so far made Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon and his first official release will be a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon that will be available in the fall. The wine will be bottled in clay magnums and will sell for around $100. In this article in Wines & Vines, Del Dotto says he is happy with the result and will be buying custom-made clay fermentation vessels because it adds an earthy quality to the wine. The clay fermentation also softens the tannins in red wine. Del Dotto plans to experiments with whine wine and to bury some of the jars the way ancient winemakers did.

Tags: cabernet sauvignon, california, dave del dotto, DaveDelDotto, del dotto vineyards, napa, winemaking, winery

Sonoma Grapemasters

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Another make-your-own-wine service in California has been launched. Owl Ridge Wine Services, a custom-crush winery in the Russian River Valley of West Sonoma has introduced Sonoma Grapemasters, a service that offers professional winemaking services to non-commercial clients. The vine-to-bottle program lets clients choose grapes and then pair up with a consulting winemaker to create a barrel (around 25 cases) of their own fine wine. Like some other similar services, you can choose your level of participation, full hands-on work or winemaking from a distance. Between home wine devices like Winepod and services like this one and Crushpad, anyone with the will and the cash can participate in a wine making experience.

Tags: grapemasters, russian river, sonoma, wine, winemaking

Kings Hill Cellars, A Members Only Winery

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services, Wine

The trend for wine lovers seems to increasingly be to offer winemaking experiences. As people learn more about wine they become curious about taking then next step and having a turn at actually creating wine. Kings Hill Cellars in Santa Rosa, California is a "members only" winery that offers grapes, winemaking and storage facilities and the guidance of a winemaker to help when needed. Members invest in either half or full barrels of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel or Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes come from North Coast vineyards, including Mountain View Ranch, Herbert's, Le Vois and Trew in Dry Creek Valley; Fowler in Knights Valley and Volckhardt in Green Valley. Members choose their varietal and then are part of all the decision making as the wines are created. The winery is also available to vineyard owners who are interested in producing wine from their own grapes. They have 17 members thus far producing a total of nine barrels last year. Membership prices range from $2,450 for a half barrel of Sauvignon Blanc to $5,950 for a full barrel of Pinot Noir.

Tags: california, grapes, santa rosa, wine, winemaking

Barry Manilow Joins the World of Celebrity Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Celebrity Shopping

The latest celebrity to enter the wine business is none other than Barry Manilow. Fans of the singer can now get their hands on Manilow wines in five varietals, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel made at several different California wineries. The Manilow wine retails for between $20 to $25 dollars a bottle. It doesn't seem like Manilow has much of a hand in these wines. Many celebrities actually work with a winemaker and/or vineyard to produce a particular type of wine but these wines seem to be Manilow in name only. Still, they will probably be a big hit with the "fanilows."
[via Wine Spectator and E Online]

Tags: barry manilow, BarryManilow, red wine, white wine, wine, winemaking

Scenes From The Exhibit Hall at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Events

If you've ever dreamed of owning a winery you probably imagined wandering the vineyards, carefully blending your wines and showing off your wares in your elegant tasting room. But there are many, many steps from grape to glass as those who attended the Unified WIne & Grape Symposium know all too well. As a devoted amateur consumer, I feared that seeing just how much goes into winemaking might spoil the romance of it for me. Instead, it has deepened my respect for those who are devoted to the wine business. Not just the wineries and the growers but the bottle makers, coopers, label makers, farm equipment salespeople and all the others who indirectly have a part in that lovely bottle that sits on your table. After the jump, a quick spin through the exhibit hall to see the types of businesses that were there to sell to the wineries.

Tags: unified wine and grape symposium, UnifiedWineAndGrapeSymposium, winemaking, wineries

Continue reading “Scenes From The Exhibit Hall at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium”

Grape Growers in Australia Ditch Their Harvest

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

More bad news for the Australian wine industries, they are experiencing a major grape glut. Grape growers located in South Australia's Riverland may lose millions of dollars in direct income which could amount in several hundred million dollars of loss for the local economy. The wine growers are dumping their grapes on the ground because they cannot sell them for a decent return.The prices offered are below the cost of production. Wine growers are upset and the Winegrape Growers Association is staging a rally later this month. The situation mirrors one that we heard about occurring in Chile last month.

Tags: australia, chile, grapes, vineyard, wine glut, wine harvest, winemaking, winery

WinePod

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Wine

When I saw the words WinePod, my first thought that it was some sort of wine/iPod fusion. But no, it's actually a winemaking device that lets you soak, crush, and press grapes and ferment and age the wine. The maker's website calls it "a real winery scaled down to a personal-use size." It has a wireless on-board computer that teaches you how to make wine as it goes along. Whatever your taste preference, the WinePod will teach you how to create a wine that matches. It has a 100 liter tank which makes around six cases of wine, and the company will even ship you the grapes to get started. According to the Fermentation blog, a limited number of the WinePods are being produced this year and each unit costs around $2000. It is available with optional oak barrels. How fun would it be to play with this thing?

Tags: fermentation, grapes, wine, winemaking

Wine Creation Via Computer

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Would you trust the business of tasting wine to a computer? CNN has an article on how computer models may may help identify good wine and help winemakers create better vintages. Lorenz Biegler, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University has been working with industry scientists in Chile to create mathematical formulas that could automate the fermentation process. By figuring out how the yeast cell behaves they can determine how to replicate the process.The goal is to make winemaking more efficient and of course profitable. So far the research has been on white wines only. Reds are more complex and therefore difficult to analyze. Similar computerized systems are used at chemical plants, oil refineries and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities but winemaking has always been seen as more of an art of craft than a science. It doesn't seem like a computer is going to take the place of a master vinter anytime soon but technology may have a greater role in winemaking in the future.

[via Slashdot]

Tags: chile, computers, grapes, red wine, science, white wine, wine, winemaking

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