Snowtober....who in New England will forget this great Halloween snowstorm? Could this go down in the history books like the Great Blizzard of '78? Probably not, since it really didn't affect Boston very much, and it seems like anything that doesn't happen in Boston doesn't really matter very much.
But it was quite the weekend at Aaronap Cellars. I started off Friday evening (Oct 28, 2011) by driving down to the Cape with Shawna to spend the night before running in the Cape Code Half-Marathon. Shortly before getting to Falmouth, we passed the recent remnants of a horrific car crash that killed one of the drivers. Not much we could do to help so we continued on our way. The next morning, it was a cloudy & chilly day for a race, but I had a very nice run and finished 560/732 finishers with a time of 2:17:16. Not too shabby for my first half-marathon if I do say so myself! And I absolutely loved rounding the corner towards the finish line accompanied by the cheers of a wonderfully supportive girlfriend! After a shower, a nap, and some lunch, we mosied our way back home, stopping off at a Halloween party at the home of one of Shawna's friends. By the time we got home, the rain that had started around noon had turned to slushy snow and the poor trees were already bowing. The rest of the night was spent listening to the sounds of "crack" as tree limbs gave up the ghost and snapped to the ground. We lost power at Aaronap Cellars around 1 AM on Sunday morning and it didn't come back on until Tuesday night.
So what does a winemaker do when the power goes out with no clear time of coming back & he has a freezer full of frozen blueberries? Makes wine, of course! The only problem was that the house was cold and I only had 19 lbs of blueberries. Not enough for one of my regular batches, so I decided to make a port-style wine as I was cleaning out the freezer.
The 19 lbs of wild blueberries (Maine & Canada) were still almost ice cold after 3 days of thawing in the fermenter in the cold house. Had to warm up in a water bath to get them up to room temperature once the power came back on. I'm really trying to boost the body of this wine, so generous doses of Scottzyme Color Pro, Opti-red, and FT Rouge tannins were added prior to yeast pitching. I'm planning on also adding Booster Rouge towards the end of fermentation to provide more body and smoothness. I adjusted the sugar to Brix = 22.0 (PA = 13% abv) to start and started fermentation with VP-15 Rockpile yeast. A little odd choice, but it was what I had on hand for my 2011 grape order.
The blues are off and bubbling as I type. I'm going to add some sugar charges towards the end of fermentation to bump the PA up to about 16% before adding the brandy to stop the fermentation & leave some residual sugar.
Salute,
Noel
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Visit to some old Blues
After a touch commute home, I decided to pop open a couple of old blueberry wines that have been in my library cellar. First up: 2006 Shelly's Blues. So named in honor of my good friend Shelly who gave me most of the blueberries for this batch as well as a collection of old blue riesling bottles that I used to bottle the wine, this was actually the very second batch of wine that I had ever made.
2006 Shelly's Blues
Color is pretty light--kind of an orange-ish rose color. But the nose is unmistakeable--acidified. Big whiff of acetic acid due to oxidation. Darn those artificial corks I used in the beginning because they were easier to sanitize prior to bottling! I've since switched to using premium natural cork because the artificial corks just don't age well and allow to much oxygen into the wine. Too bad--that was my last bottle.
2009 Wild Maine Dry Blueberry
Dark red color. Excellent, complex nose of blueberry (duh), vanilla, & leather. Fruit forward on the palatte with good tannins and smooth vanilla oak finish. The only drawback is the body is fairly light. Very good, decent wine that went great with the left-over Freschetta pizza I warmed up for dinner.
All in all, a good experiment. I was pretty confident that the Shelly's Blues was going to be acidified based on prior experience with those artificial corks. Fortunately, the 2009 saved the day (and I still have 3 bottles of that). It's a shame that my dry blueberry recipe is not well received at competitions because I like it! I've got a few tweaks in mind to pump up the body in future batches. Perhaps I'll start one soon...
Salute,
Noel
2006 Shelly's Blues
Color is pretty light--kind of an orange-ish rose color. But the nose is unmistakeable--acidified. Big whiff of acetic acid due to oxidation. Darn those artificial corks I used in the beginning because they were easier to sanitize prior to bottling! I've since switched to using premium natural cork because the artificial corks just don't age well and allow to much oxygen into the wine. Too bad--that was my last bottle.
2009 Wild Maine Dry Blueberry
Dark red color. Excellent, complex nose of blueberry (duh), vanilla, & leather. Fruit forward on the palatte with good tannins and smooth vanilla oak finish. The only drawback is the body is fairly light. Very good, decent wine that went great with the left-over Freschetta pizza I warmed up for dinner.
All in all, a good experiment. I was pretty confident that the Shelly's Blues was going to be acidified based on prior experience with those artificial corks. Fortunately, the 2009 saved the day (and I still have 3 bottles of that). It's a shame that my dry blueberry recipe is not well received at competitions because I like it! I've got a few tweaks in mind to pump up the body in future batches. Perhaps I'll start one soon...
Salute,
Noel
Saturday, October 15, 2011
AWS Hudson Chapter October Tasting "Rioja"
Ole! The Hudson (MA)
Chapter of the AWS met on October 13 in the home of chapter president, Mike Blake. After a welcome period of socializing and
general merriment while enjoying Cortijo 2010, a viura based wine from Rioja ($15), the 16 members in attendance
sampled a selection of wines from the Rioja region of Spain organized
by Dick Phillips. A special selection of
Spanish tapas, including Manchego cheese, Jamon Serrano ham, Spanish potato
omelet, & empanadas, were supplied by the members.
Cortijo 2010 DOC 100% Viura ($15, greeting wine)
Flight#1 explored the Rioga classification system based
on length of barrel age
Campo Viejo Crianza 2007 ($12) aged at least 24 months/6 in
oak (13.8
pts)
Campo Viejo Reserva 2006 ($15) aged at least 36 months/12 in
oak (14.9 pts)
Campo Viejo Gran Reserva 2002 ($21) aged at least 60
months/18 in oak (15.7 pts)
This was a very interesting flight as the wines darkened considerably and grew more complex with the longer barrel aging. My favorite was the Gran Reserva.
Flight#2 showcased 2 100% tempranillio wines
LAN Reserva
2006 ($18) (16.5
pts)
Finca Valpiedra Reserva 2001 ($40) (15.1
pts)
Flight#3
explored 2 blended wines
Conde de
Valdemar Reserva 2004 ($21) 85% Tempranillo/15% Mazuelo (15.1 pts)
Palacios
Remondo La Montesa Reserva 2007 ($26) 60% Tempranillo/40% Garnacha (16.2 pts)
Another interesting comparison as the Mazuelo (Carignane for us Americans) added a lot of tannin and acidity to the tempranillo while the garnacha (grenache) blend was much smoother. I could have drunk the La Montesa all night long! Dark color, chocolate, plum, blackberries in a soft pleasant nose. Smooth & mellow on tongue with moderate aftertaste
Flight #4 explored 2 wines by a modern producer who
foregoes the DO/DOC rules
Artadi Vinos de Gain 2005 ($32) bottle
unfortunately corked
Artadi Pagos Viegos 2005 ($79) (17.4
pts)
A spectacular 100% temperanillo with an earthy, complex nose with dark fruit predominating. Full-bodied. Very nice.
A spectacular 100% temperanillo with an earthy, complex nose with dark fruit predominating. Full-bodied. Very nice.
Following this wonderful line-up and tasting experience, the
chapter celebrated their 4th anniversary with a recap of memories
and highlights over the past 4 years and cake!
Salute,
Noel
New Design Template
While I'm making some changes, I noticed that Blogger is encouraging me to try their new design templates. So I thought I'd try a few more changes in the background, etc. Let me know if you like it!
Salute,
Noel
Salute,
Noel
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Still Alive, A 15 Year Anniversary, & New Course Addition
Hello again world. It's been too long since I last posted an entry. Somehow, finding the time to write more than 50-75 words about my winemaking activities has been challenging so I've been doing most of my updates on Facebook. Find and follow Aaronap Cellars on Facebook for all of the last minute details on the fun that goes on in the cellar, especially as I start filling out paperwork for the commercial licenses in the coming couple of months.
But I'm celebrating a little anniversary this month. It's been 15 years since some good friends introduced me to wine in grad school (I'm looking at you Bruce, Randy, & Sonja). Hard to believe that just a short while ago, I was a wet-behind-the-ears country bumpkin that hated the only glass of wine I had ever tried. I still remember that very first chardonnay tasting at Bruce's apartment where I showed up with a beer mug when told to bring a glass! Boy, times, tastes, & glass collections have changed!
While thinking back over the past 15 years, I've been amazed at the sheer variety of wines that I've tasted along this adventure. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Greecian, South African, Chilean, Argentinean, Australian, New Zealand, and the myriad of US wine regions--whew! Makes my taste buds purr with pleasure just thinking about it. In recognition of the adventure that I've been on, I thought I would chronicle my tasting adventures over the next year and document all of the different wines that I taste (or at least as many as I can). I'll still keep writing updates on my winemaking, but will somehow figure out how to keep a rolling record of all the wines.
To start, on Wednesday 10/12, I had the privilege to attend "The Brilliance of Burgundy Tasting" at Brix on Broad in Boston's Financial District. I was a little underdressed for my tasting peers, but we enjoyed a number of showcase wines from France's Burgundy region.
Whites (Chardonnay):
2009 Vocoret Chablis ($27): OK, this ain't from Burgundy, but was a great greeting wine to get people into the spirit. Crisp, fruity, & full bodied. Very nice Chablis.
2009 Domaine Andre Auvigue Pouilly-Fuisse ($33): Apricots, aged flowers, & almonds. Rich, round mouthfeel. No oak. AWS scores: 3/4/4/2/2 = 15 (out of 20)
2009 Domaine Matrot Meursault ($52): Dark straw yellow. Earthy nose, not as fruity. Round mouthfeel, some light vanilla, and actually some tannins provide structure with a crisp finish. AWS score: 3/3/4/2/2 = 14
2008 Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru "Maltroie" ($72): Light straw yellow, fruit forward with some earthy notes for complexity, caramel & butter, huge mouthfeel. AWS score: 3/5/5/2/2 = 17
Reds (pinot noir):
2008 Domaine Tollot-Beaut Chorey-Cote-de-Beaune ($40): Light garnet, bright cherry aromas. Perhaps a little pencil lead. Tart, tight finish. A simple pinot noir. AWS score: 3/3/3/2/1 = 12
2008 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne Romanee ($67): Light garnet with some bricking. Black cherry, smooth nose, a little earthiness. Smoother finish but a little more tannin. Short aftertaste with raspberries predominating. AWS score: 3/4/4/2/1 = 13
2008 Domaine Pierre Gelin Gevrey-Chambertin ($50): Dark cherries with a complex earthy nose. Good breadth of flavors with a rich mouthfeel and a lingering finish. AWS score: 3/4/5/3/2 = 17
2008 Domaine de Courcel Pommard Premier Cru "Epenots" ($102): Sharp menthol aroma, low fruitness. Cinnamon, pine, and green pepper on tongue. Very rough tannic & tart finish. AWS score: 3/3/3/2/1 = 12
And to top off the evening, they poured the best wine I've ever had to date. Completely blew my mind and set the bar for all future white Burgundies (and chardonnays everywhere).
2006 Philippe Colin Chevalier-Montrachet ($265): Smooth fruity nose with mellow caramel notes that just slides over the tongue. Silky smooth with a slightly "sweet"-tasting finish. Lingers long after the sip is gone. AWS score: 3/6/6/3/2 = 20.
Salute,
Noel
But I'm celebrating a little anniversary this month. It's been 15 years since some good friends introduced me to wine in grad school (I'm looking at you Bruce, Randy, & Sonja). Hard to believe that just a short while ago, I was a wet-behind-the-ears country bumpkin that hated the only glass of wine I had ever tried. I still remember that very first chardonnay tasting at Bruce's apartment where I showed up with a beer mug when told to bring a glass! Boy, times, tastes, & glass collections have changed!
While thinking back over the past 15 years, I've been amazed at the sheer variety of wines that I've tasted along this adventure. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Greecian, South African, Chilean, Argentinean, Australian, New Zealand, and the myriad of US wine regions--whew! Makes my taste buds purr with pleasure just thinking about it. In recognition of the adventure that I've been on, I thought I would chronicle my tasting adventures over the next year and document all of the different wines that I taste (or at least as many as I can). I'll still keep writing updates on my winemaking, but will somehow figure out how to keep a rolling record of all the wines.
To start, on Wednesday 10/12, I had the privilege to attend "The Brilliance of Burgundy Tasting" at Brix on Broad in Boston's Financial District. I was a little underdressed for my tasting peers, but we enjoyed a number of showcase wines from France's Burgundy region.
Whites (Chardonnay):
2009 Vocoret Chablis ($27): OK, this ain't from Burgundy, but was a great greeting wine to get people into the spirit. Crisp, fruity, & full bodied. Very nice Chablis.
2009 Domaine Andre Auvigue Pouilly-Fuisse ($33): Apricots, aged flowers, & almonds. Rich, round mouthfeel. No oak. AWS scores: 3/4/4/2/2 = 15 (out of 20)
2009 Domaine Matrot Meursault ($52): Dark straw yellow. Earthy nose, not as fruity. Round mouthfeel, some light vanilla, and actually some tannins provide structure with a crisp finish. AWS score: 3/3/4/2/2 = 14
2008 Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru "Maltroie" ($72): Light straw yellow, fruit forward with some earthy notes for complexity, caramel & butter, huge mouthfeel. AWS score: 3/5/5/2/2 = 17
Reds (pinot noir):
2008 Domaine Tollot-Beaut Chorey-Cote-de-Beaune ($40): Light garnet, bright cherry aromas. Perhaps a little pencil lead. Tart, tight finish. A simple pinot noir. AWS score: 3/3/3/2/1 = 12
2008 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne Romanee ($67): Light garnet with some bricking. Black cherry, smooth nose, a little earthiness. Smoother finish but a little more tannin. Short aftertaste with raspberries predominating. AWS score: 3/4/4/2/1 = 13
2008 Domaine Pierre Gelin Gevrey-Chambertin ($50): Dark cherries with a complex earthy nose. Good breadth of flavors with a rich mouthfeel and a lingering finish. AWS score: 3/4/5/3/2 = 17
2008 Domaine de Courcel Pommard Premier Cru "Epenots" ($102): Sharp menthol aroma, low fruitness. Cinnamon, pine, and green pepper on tongue. Very rough tannic & tart finish. AWS score: 3/3/3/2/1 = 12
And to top off the evening, they poured the best wine I've ever had to date. Completely blew my mind and set the bar for all future white Burgundies (and chardonnays everywhere).
2006 Philippe Colin Chevalier-Montrachet ($265): Smooth fruity nose with mellow caramel notes that just slides over the tongue. Silky smooth with a slightly "sweet"-tasting finish. Lingers long after the sip is gone. AWS score: 3/6/6/3/2 = 20.
Salute,
Noel
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Sparkling Concord is sparkling!
At our last stop in the continuing sage of the sparkling concord wine that I've mentioned before here and here, I had primed the dry base wine with additional sugar and yeast and set it aside to "sparkle" champenois style (in the bottle). After a couple of months in the cellar, I moved the bottles upstairs to my guest bedroom closet where they would be a little warmer. I've been wanting to check to see if the secondary fermentation had a) occurred and b) was complete. During one of my wine tasting group's meetings this past week, the crowd started to demand a taste of some of my "in progress" wines. Fortunately, I had a bottle of the concord in the refrigerator in preparation of testing later in the week. I rather nervously brought it out and popped the crown cap.....
A little wisp of vapor, and then a surge of bubbles! Yay! Fermentation in the bottle had occurred! The wine is definitely a work in progress because although it was dry, it was one tart-tasting wine. It will definitely need to be sweetened and served as a "demi-sec" or "sec" sparkling wine.
So...next step is to riddle the bottle to get the lees into the neck of the bottle so they can be disgorged. I don't have an official riddling board, so going to try this a cheap way. I've set the bottles on their heads in wine boxes and will rotate them every other day or so to dislodge the sediments. So far it seems to be working just fine.
Stay tuned for the next chapter in our sparkling concord saga!
Cheers,
Noel
A little wisp of vapor, and then a surge of bubbles! Yay! Fermentation in the bottle had occurred! The wine is definitely a work in progress because although it was dry, it was one tart-tasting wine. It will definitely need to be sweetened and served as a "demi-sec" or "sec" sparkling wine.
So...next step is to riddle the bottle to get the lees into the neck of the bottle so they can be disgorged. I don't have an official riddling board, so going to try this a cheap way. I've set the bottles on their heads in wine boxes and will rotate them every other day or so to dislodge the sediments. So far it seems to be working just fine.
Stay tuned for the next chapter in our sparkling concord saga!
Cheers,
Noel
Monday, February 14, 2011
Vermont Maple Ice is in the bottle!
Faithful readers will recall that I had an idea for an "icewine"-style dessert wine made from Maple Syrup. Version 1 was started earlier this year and I finally got around to filtering and bottling so I could send a sample into the Winemaker Magazine competition. Of course, when you are done bottling, there's always a little left over in the filter, the tubing, and that not-quite-so-full bottle so that I could sit down after clean-up and enjoy the fruits of my labor. Gee shucks, such a tough hobby...
Vermont Maple "Ice"
Stats: 11.5% ABV, RS = 293 g/L, pH = 2.97, TA = 8.6 g/L
Appearance: Crystal clear, light golden brown, nice strong legs
Aroma: Maple syrup with some nutty & citrus notes
Taste: Bold maple syrup taste with a nice sweet finish that has some interesting pecan/walnut flavors and a citric kick. Thick body. Maple syrup on steroids. Yummm....
Overall Impression: I'm usually not a sweet wine fan, but this is pretty good stuff! Quite pleased with how this turned out. It's sweet, but smooth enough that the sweetness just kind of rolls off your tongue. I'm picturing this poured over some vanilla ice cream at night or even pancakes in the morning.
Cheers,
Noel
Vermont Maple "Ice"
Stats: 11.5% ABV, RS = 293 g/L, pH = 2.97, TA = 8.6 g/L
Appearance: Crystal clear, light golden brown, nice strong legs
Aroma: Maple syrup with some nutty & citrus notes
Taste: Bold maple syrup taste with a nice sweet finish that has some interesting pecan/walnut flavors and a citric kick. Thick body. Maple syrup on steroids. Yummm....
Overall Impression: I'm usually not a sweet wine fan, but this is pretty good stuff! Quite pleased with how this turned out. It's sweet, but smooth enough that the sweetness just kind of rolls off your tongue. I'm picturing this poured over some vanilla ice cream at night or even pancakes in the morning.
Cheers,
Noel
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)