Wine and Evolution Part II: Barrel Aging
by Warren Richard
To continue our quest, we attended Gray Ghostís barrel tasting; of course, we were anxious to taste the Chardonnay, and we were not disappointed. The Chardonnay exhibited lush fruit characters, but the oakiness that one may associate with Chardonnay was not evident. We were quite pleased with the progress and learned that the Chardonnay was not ready for bottling. From the Chardonnay station, we moved on to the Cabernet Franc and then to the Cabernet Sauvignon. Here is where things got very interesting. After initial samplings of the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, we received a lesson on blending. We returned to the Cabernet Franc station, and here we received a small amount of Cab Franc, and then we blended the Franc with a larger portion of the 2004 Cab Sauvignon. The result was remarkable---the jamminess of the Cab Sauvignon married quite well with the big raspberry flavor of the Franc. A similar treat awaited us with the 2005 Cab. Sauvignon. While the 2005 Cab Sauvignon was very young in the barrel, it was evolving quite nicely, and the blend of Cab Franc gave us a hint of the final product. We were quite confident that both blends provided a strong indication that the Gray Ghost 2004 and 2005 Cab Sauvignon will earn many awards, and we eagerly anticipate the release of both vintages.
During our harvesting and barrel tasting experiences at Gray Ghost, we discovered several answers to our initial question. Good wine making begins in the vineyard. Immaculate vineyards insure that vines produce the healthiest fruit possible even in difficult years. Gray Ghost maintains a vineyard free of weeds that compete with the vines for needed nutrients. Also, the barrel room must be spotless, and temperatures must be monitored so that wines ferment and mature in a healthy environment. Gray Ghostís barrel room would pass the strictest standards of cleanliness, and climate control obviously receives top attention. The barrel room is very cool with low humidity. The cement floor is spotless, and dangerous microbes that threaten barrels and their precious liquids cannot threaten evolving wines at Gray Ghost. Finally, expert knowledge about varietals, microclimates and soils (what the French call terroir) prevail at Gray Ghost. The result, of course, is quality wine; in fact, as of this writing, Gray Ghostís 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon has already won gold at the 2006 Tasterís Guild International competition.
Stay tuned for Part III: Comparison Over Time
To continue our quest, we attended Gray Ghostís barrel tasting; of course, we were anxious to taste the Chardonnay, and we were not disappointed. The Chardonnay exhibited lush fruit characters, but the oakiness that one may associate with Chardonnay was not evident. We were quite pleased with the progress and learned that the Chardonnay was not ready for bottling. From the Chardonnay station, we moved on to the Cabernet Franc and then to the Cabernet Sauvignon. Here is where things got very interesting. After initial samplings of the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, we received a lesson on blending. We returned to the Cabernet Franc station, and here we received a small amount of Cab Franc, and then we blended the Franc with a larger portion of the 2004 Cab Sauvignon. The result was remarkable---the jamminess of the Cab Sauvignon married quite well with the big raspberry flavor of the Franc. A similar treat awaited us with the 2005 Cab. Sauvignon. While the 2005 Cab Sauvignon was very young in the barrel, it was evolving quite nicely, and the blend of Cab Franc gave us a hint of the final product. We were quite confident that both blends provided a strong indication that the Gray Ghost 2004 and 2005 Cab Sauvignon will earn many awards, and we eagerly anticipate the release of both vintages.
During our harvesting and barrel tasting experiences at Gray Ghost, we discovered several answers to our initial question. Good wine making begins in the vineyard. Immaculate vineyards insure that vines produce the healthiest fruit possible even in difficult years. Gray Ghost maintains a vineyard free of weeds that compete with the vines for needed nutrients. Also, the barrel room must be spotless, and temperatures must be monitored so that wines ferment and mature in a healthy environment. Gray Ghostís barrel room would pass the strictest standards of cleanliness, and climate control obviously receives top attention. The barrel room is very cool with low humidity. The cement floor is spotless, and dangerous microbes that threaten barrels and their precious liquids cannot threaten evolving wines at Gray Ghost. Finally, expert knowledge about varietals, microclimates and soils (what the French call terroir) prevail at Gray Ghost. The result, of course, is quality wine; in fact, as of this writing, Gray Ghostís 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon has already won gold at the 2006 Tasterís Guild International competition.
Stay tuned for Part III: Comparison Over Time