2016, A Year with Rain
A sure sign of an early winter, the bright green acorns and shiny Buckeye nuts have started falling from the native trees at Westbrook Wine Farm. This morning the temperature dipped into the 40s for the first time since last winter. We’ll soon be seeing the riotous fall foliage colors on both Fait Accompli and Museum vines. It’s a magical Tiffany window time of year.
Westbrook Wine Farm Vines (October 2016)
The harvest is once again behind us and our task, for now, is babysitting the wines in barrel until they are ready for bottling. In mid-January when the vines are defoliated and in their skeletal dormancy, we begin again to surgically prune each vine to its individual stature and potential. We do not hire people to hack away with loppers at Westbrook Wine Farm. Using razor sharp hand pruners, the winemakers themselves begin the new vintage much as a sculptor does with the careful “art of taking away”.
2016 gave us an improved (over the recent drought years) volume of our eight red Bordeaux varieties along with civilized sugars and a good pH balance. Rainfall was heavy early in the season and moderate through May for a total of over 30 inches. Fruit aromas are intense and the colors are near black owing to a greater solids to juice content of our mountain grown fruit. We can look forward to sharing about 45 cases of Museum and 75 cases of Fait Accompli with our loyal “Wine Perps” some four or five years from now.
We were fortunate to again receive some marvelous fruit from Laurie’s Vineyard in Madera from which we have crafted Savvy, our co-fermented white Bordeaux/Meritage style Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Musque and Semillon field blend, Petite Sirah and Barbera. We always wanted to make a “Madera Barbera” just so we could say those words. You will be pleasantly surprised.
As we spool up for the holiday season, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you whom have supported, sustained and befriended our wine farm and us for the past sixteen years. It is our great fortune and major inspiration to know you.
Please stop by soon for a taste, a fireside chat and an always authentic wine-centric experience.
Ray and Tammy, Vinificators
