David Coffaro Winery and Vineyard Winemaker's Diary 2001 weeks 43

David Coffaro Vineyard and Winery Winemaker's Diary

Week 43

October 21, 2001 to October 27, 2001

Sunday, October 21, 2001
Here is a quick message to let you know that I have contracted for some Russian River Pinot Noir second crop. To explain "second crop", are grapes that either have been left on the vine because the pickers have missed them the first time through or they are grapes that have been not ripe when the first picking occurred. I have found in the past that this fruit can be better than the first crop. We will have this fruit in tomorrow and I will give my first impression of the total load. BUT on first sample today, this could be real fine stuff.
Also we did received 1.7 tons of our own second crop last Thursday and Friday. These grapes were from some carignan and zin, but also included fruit from all sections of our vineyard.
Wednesday, October 24, 2001
It is so exciting!! Brendan and I have wine fermenting again. Actually we have 5 fermenters going or close to 5 tons. Also we have pressed our Late Harvest Sauv Blanc.
The Late Harvest was pressed for 24 hrs and came in with a sugar content of 42.3 brix. This year I am going to ferment it as far as it will go. That means we should have alcohol of about 14% and a residual sugar of over 15%. We will not have to filter it to stop the fermentation and thus the wine should be stable enough to only have to be filtered lightly. The acid is a little low so we have already added some citric acid as we did last year. It looks like we may have as much as 720 half bottles--plenty for everyone.
The five fermenters contain:

100% Russian River 2nd crop Pinot, harvested at 28% sugar and diluted to 25+

100% 2nd crop zin from a vineyard just down the road, harvested at 29% sugar and diluted to 25+

A fermenter containing sections from all of our vineyard with sugar of 25+

67% Pinot and 33% carignan at about 25 brix and

A fermenter containing equal parts of pinot, carignan and zin.

I am thinking that some of the blends may go into my new wine, maybe to be called D.C. Cuvee.

Dave

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	*Sunday, October 21, 2001* Here is a quick message to let you know that I have contracted for some Russian River Pinot Noir second crop. To explain "second crop", are grapes that either have been left on the vine because the pickers have missed them the first time through or they are grapes that have been not ripe when the first picking occurred. I have found in the past that this fruit can be better than the first crop. We will have this fruit in tomorrow and I will give my first impression of the total load. BUT on first sample today, this could be real fine stuff. Also we did received 1.7 tons of our own second crop last Thursday and Friday. These grapes were from some carignan and zin, but also included fruit from all sections of our vineyard. *Wednesday, October 24, 2001* It is so exciting!! Brendan and I have wine fermenting again. Actually we have 5 fermenters going or close to 5 tons. Also we have pressed our Late Harvest Sauv Blanc. The Late Harvest was pressed for 24 hrs and came in with a sugar content of 42.3 brix. This year I am going to ferment it as far as it will go. That means we should have alcohol of about 14% and a residual sugar of over 15%. We will not have to filter it to stop the fermentation and thus the wine should be stable enough to only have to be filtered lightly. The acid is a little low so we have already added some citric acid as we did last year. It looks like we may have as much as 720 half bottles--plenty for everyone. The five fermenters contain: 100% Russian River 2nd crop Pinot, harvested at 28% sugar and diluted to 25+ 100% 2nd crop zin from a vineyard just down the road, harvested at 29% sugar and diluted to 25+ A fermenter containing sections from all of our vineyard with sugar of 25+ 67% Pinot and 33% carignan at about 25 brix and A fermenter containing equal parts of pinot, carignan and zin. I am thinking that some of the blends may go into my new wine, maybe to be called D.C. Cuvee.
	Dave
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