2021 Viognier

We handpick our Viognier at first light while the morning air was crisp, and the grapes were at an ideal temperature. The golden-yellow grapes are handpicked into tiny bins to prevent smushing by their own weight. We pressed the grapes 100% whole cluster into an air membrane bladder press that ever so lightly applies pressure to the fruit causing the grapes to rupture with the juice collected in a bin below as free run. The more pressure the grapes are pressed with, the more astringency, tannin and bitterness will be present. We only press lightly and then stop the press, capturing the best fractions of the juice. The cold juice is pumped to a chilled stainless-steel tank where it sits and settles over 48 hours. During this period, the heavier sediment drops to the bottom of the tank and forms a layer called “lees” and the resulting juice becomes clearer. This clearer juice is racked off the lees to French oak barrels. The juice warms to cellar temperature over 2 days and fermentation begins. Each barrel is its own mini fermentation which creates a complexity for the overall blend when bottled. Because Viognier is already viscous on the palate, we do not undergo malolactic fermentation. The wine is topped up and sits for 16 months, aging sur lies (French term for aging on sediment). Every 4-6 weeks we stir and top barrels until the blend is ready to be assembled. We taste each barrel, mark the barrels we like, make a blend, tweak the blend until we are 100% satisfied and then rack the wine off its lees to tank for bottling.