That’s a wrap!
It’s official, the 2014 harvest is over and it’s not even Thanksgiving! In fact, we were technically done with harvest before November, which hasn’t happened in a very long time. The last of our grapes, being Late Harvest Zinfandel from the Cobble Creek Vineyard, were picked on Halloween only hours before it started to rain. According to Niels the last grapes were off the vine only 30 minutes before the rain started coming down.
I probably sound like a broken record, but we are looking at 2014 as being a very good year in regards to quality. All of the fruit that came in was ripe and in some cases very ripe, which in tougher years isn’t always the case and can often be the biggest challenge. The Growing Degree Days, or GDD, for 2014 were very similar to 1997, which was a great year so we are hoping to see this vintage go down as one to remember and hold on to!
The last grapes to come in on ol’ Hallows Eve were none other than our Cobble Creek Late Harvest Zinfandel. In order to get the grapes to the sugar lever we need for this wine we have to harvest it later, hence the name “Late Harvest.” The extended hang time on the vine allows the sugar levels to climb and condense as the berries begin to resemble raisins (see photo). The 2014 Late Harvest Zin is now in fermentation out at the winery and currently at around 12% alcohol. Soon that will change, as we will fortify the wine with our in house Brandy that has been distilled on our still. I will get more into the distillation situation soon so stay tuned, it is pretty exciting stuff!
As we bid farewell to the 2014 harvest season we hope you all had a wonderful Fall, Halloween, Indian Summer and beyond. Now we welcome winter and the Holiday season with open arms and continue to stay optimistic for rain, rain and more rain. We got just shy of an inch of rain on Halloween so fingers are crossed to keep it coming!
Cheers,
Luke
