2009 Dancing Crow Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Winemaker Paul Moser just brought by this Sauvignon Blanc juice from Dancing Crow Vineyard in Lake County. The grapes were picked Tuesday, pressed yesterday and here at the winery now to start fermenting.

The first block came in Saturday morning (one degree Brix lower than this set) and has a crisper apple/grapefruit quality. Paul says this has beautiful pear and sugared grapefruit notes, with hints of honey.

And it does. So delicious! It reminds me of being a little kid and having fresh, sweet grapes in my lunch.

Quick Grape & Harvest Update

Today Mauricio pulled Zinfandel grapes for sampling of sugars and acidity at Snows Lake Vineyard in Lake County. He amended the info, though - it's actually Primitivo (Clones 3 & 4).

The upper blocks are at 25.4 brix and a pH of 4 ... he says the lower blocks are still at 22 brix. It's likely we will hand-harvest the two upper blocks (one on an eastern-facing hill and the other adjacent on a western-facing hill) next week. Later on the lower ones.

The Sauvignon Blanc from Dancing Crow Vineyard isn't as close to being ready - Mauricio's current guess is September 14th or thereabouts.

He's also beginning to look at Merlot and Cabernet from Totem Ridge Vineyard - Cabernet is much later ripening - it will probably be ready in mid-October.