2009 Harvest

In terms of weather, the 2009 growing season was simpler than 2008. We had less rain during the spring, which made winter irrigation mandatory for most vineyards in the area. Harvest began a couple of weeks later than the previous year. It started out warm in July and August, then cooled off. We were in good shape until the rain in September – causing delays up to a week. We usually welcome the rain, but this year it came about the time that the grapes were very ripe and ready to come off the vine. Rainfall totals were from 3-5 inches on the east side and 10-15 inches on the west side. Depending on the vineyard location, the rainfall delayed the ripening of some varieties.
Most vineyards escaped the frost issues we had in 2008, although some growers on the west side did get hit towards the end of October. Most grapes had been harvested by that time, so the damage wasn’t as heavy as it could have been. By November 1st, harvest was over.

The overall quality of the fruit was good. We did have some quality issues with grapes harvested after the rain. Botrytis and mold caused some issues. Yields were average to below average. Overall, 2009 was a good year regarding quality, growing conditions, and yields.
 

Apr 17, 2010 at 4:00 PM

Permalink

Be the first to comment on this post

Wines 2009

The wines of 2009 are turning out to be soft and complex with nice flavors. There weren’t too many issues in the field with most varieties, so the PH, acids and brix were fairly good. We were able to pick the fruit at the right time, which helps make things easier in the winery (less additions and issues to correct). I like to press the whole cluster and drain the juice off the stems.
We’re trying a new item this year. It’s a cement tank, we affectionately call it the “Hippo”, because it looks like one. We fermented the Vermentino and the Viognier in it this year. They are interesting because they have a different flavor profile than if we’d used stainless steel.

White Wines
Vermentino is a new grape for us this year. This wine will eventually take the place of the Sauvignon Blanc for Clavo. It was fermented in neutral barrels, some in stainless steel and now resides in puncheons. We’re also trying the Albarino grape this season. We’re taking a similar approach on this wine with some stainless steel fermentation, some neutral barrel fermentation and it now resides in puncheons. We are continuing the Grenache Blanc from Dawson’s Creek and Catherine’s Vineyard. I’m pleased with the white wines this year. We will probably bottle in May, so our white wine fans will have some new varieties to enjoy!
Red Wines
We used Petite Sirah from Catherine’s again – it’s just dynamite stuff. Deep and dark in color, rich in the mouth. I’m very excited about that wine. We’ve also got Syrah, Collusion blend, Cabernet, Petite Verdot and Malbec – from Margarita and VZZ. We’ll probably do a special bottling of the Malbec because we have some that is very special. We are trying Sangiovese this year. I’m planning a super Tuscan blend with Cab Franc and Merlot. I might add a little Tannat too. These are all wines that I’ve never tried before, so we’ll probably blend them for the ’09 vintage.

Also new to Clavo for 2009 is a Pinot Noir. The fruit is out of the Righetti property in Edna Valley. Our first Pinot Noir! I grew Pinot Noir for Robert Mondavi for a number of years and it’s exciting to be making some for my winery now. A pleasant surprise for us is the blend we’re trying of Cab, Cab Franc and Petite Verdot. They were blended in barrel and co-fermented. I hadn’t planned on adding the Petite Verdot to the mix, it was an accident in the winery from a misunderstanding. I’m actually glad it happened, we tasted it the other day and it is fantastic! We’ll probably do a special bottling of it and keep it separate.

With our red grapes, we put them through 2 sorting tables and then the basket press. We purchased some very nice barrels, some brands that we’ve never tried before. We are very excited about the varieties this year – we’re looking forward to them!
 

Apr 17, 2010 at 3:58 PM

Permalink

Be the first to comment on this post

Clavo 2010

The rain has been what is different for 2010. The rainfall we got during harvest helped the plants, even if it did complicate our lives. The rain we’ve been getting since the new year has been great. We need it to recharge the wells, so we are hoping for much more. As far as the vineyards go, we’re getting ready to prune and applying compost.

On the tasting room side, we’re having the soirees on the first Saturday of the month. We’ll continue up to concerts in the park (June), when we switch to every Wednesday evening on the back patio. We’ll be hosting a concert and having a wineclub party at the park this year. A date has not been assigned to us yet –we’ll keep you informed. The Zinfandel festival is coming up in March and the Winefestival is in May. We’ll be doing another winemaker dinner that 3rd Friday. Heather Caters will be creating another fantastic meal around our wines. It will be held under the stars again at the Saunders estate.

We’ll be pouring at different events throughout the state. We have Family Winemaker pourings in San Diego on March 14th, Pasadena on March 16th, The Celebration of Wine in Madera in June, and Fort Mason coming soon. We’re focusing on increasing our availability throughout the state this year.
We want to thank everyone for their support. It’s wonderful to see our friends return throughout the year. Salut from Clavo Cellars and thanks again for your support.
 

Apr 17, 2010 at 3:55 PM

Permalink

Be the first to comment on this post