The 2009 growing season has been a challenging one, to say the least. Above average precipitation, below average temperatures, early fall frosts in some Niagara locations… Vineyard Managers across Niagara have been scratching their heads saying “What’s next!?!”.
The Ravine Merlot vineyard saga has been interesting to witness. The grapes’ development on the vine was slow and stressed this year, Merlot being one of the most climatically sensitive varieties. The berries were abnormally small, with some troublesome tiny dried berries in the clusters, but the sugar and flavour concentrations of the best berries were sensational. Expecting a lower yield than in past vintages, harvest began Sunday and continued with the favourable weather until Monday afternoon. To ensure that only the finest berries would proceed into our flagship wine, the Ravine winemaking team put together perhaps the industry’s most meticulous berry sorting system. Small boxes of handpicked bunches were first toppled onto a vibrating reception/distribution table to begin the process of removing any small twigs, bugs, leaves or stems. (These are collectively known in the fine wine industry as “MOG” – - ‘matter other than grapes’).
From there the bunches proceeded to make a first pass across a long vibrating sorting table, where a team of four sort everything to remove dried or damaged bunches or berries. The bunches continue up a stainless steel ‘giraffe’ elevator to the destemmer. For these Merlot, Ravine is giving Southbrook Vineyards’ new state-of-the-art destemmer a serious try-out. Imported last year through a collaboration between Ravine winemaker, Peter Gamble, and his wife, Southbrook winemaker Ann Sperling, this unit was the first of its kind in North America. A brand new concept from Tuscany – - with not one single moving part the same as traditional destemmers! – - it has proven to be sensationally thorough and extremely delicate on the grapes. For top-end winemaking, it’s quite incredible!
After destemming, the berries proceed across a third vibrating sorting table where another team of four remove any individual berries that are not deemed to be perfect – - whether drier, ’sunburned’, scarred or slightly less ripe. A final team of two complete this meticulous process with an additional hand sort as the berries collect in the tote, ready for transfer to the fermenter.
Highly respected winemaking compatriot, Thomas Bachelder from Le Clos Jordanne, brought his entire winemaking team down to witness the process and, frankly, thought we we were slightly crazy! He might be right – - it took two full days to sort through only 3 1/2 tonnes!
With the reputation of Ravine’s Merlot as stellar as it is, Shauna White, our passionate associate winemaker overseeing the processing activity, wants to be absolutely sure that the ‘09 will stand out! In a year when excellent winemaking will be paramount, the extra effort on the crush pad and in the cellar may just make the critical difference.
