{"id":3203,"date":"2010-08-11T13:15:19","date_gmt":"2010-08-11T17:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hagarty-on-wine.com\/OnWineBlog\/?p=3203"},"modified":"2020-06-26T16:54:27","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T20:54:27","slug":"2009-vintage-finale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.hagarty-on-wine.com\/OnWineBlog\/2009-vintage-finale\/","title":{"rendered":"2009 Vintage Finale"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Wine in Old Bottles as 2010 Grape Harvest Nears<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

2010 Typical Summer Lawn<\/p><\/div>\n

Hot and dry describes the Virginia summer of 2010. \u00a0All of us can look at our lawns and appreciate what the power of the sun and the lack of rain can create, or more accurately, destroy.\u00a0 Rock hard and brown is not a reference to the well-muscled twenty-somethings populating our local swimming pools and beaches, but to the earth from which wine grapes spring forth.<\/p>\n

As a result of this summer\u2019s climate—can we blame it on El Ni\u00f1o or La Ni\u00f1a?—procuring quality grapes in Virginia will be a challenge.\u00a0 White grapes are nearing optimal harvesting conditions but it\u2019s a bit unclear as to the\u00a0caliber\u00a0of the fruit.<\/p>\n

In 2003, France experienced a similar blistering summer.\u00a0 It produced some excellent red wines but not whites.\u00a0 Not until early next year will we know for certain how the wines will fare given this scorching summer. For more on this subject visit http:\/\/www.hagarty-on-wine.com\/OnWineBlog\/?p=2674<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

But, weather cannot be controlled so the winemaking challenge has to be considered part of the fun.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Empty Carboys Eager to Receive New Wine<\/p><\/div>\n

All of my 2009 wines are now in bottle and my empty cellar awaits the coming new fruit.\u00a0 It\u2019s an exciting time of the year for winemakers—both amateur and professional.\u00a0 Will the grapes easily produce gold medal winners or will alchemy (and some luck) be needed to create quality libations. Only time and successful winemaking will tell.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Recycled Bottles Awaiting Next Year’s Wine<\/p><\/div>\n

As a home winemaker, I reuse a substantial portion of my bottles.\u00a0 It is perhaps the most meaningful recycling program I am committed to.\u00a0 Quality bottles are expensive and over the years I have reused them after the nectar contained therein has been drained. \u00a0I am certain I have bottles in storage that have held three or four vintages.\u00a0 It would be great if commercial wineries could engage in such recycling, but it\u2019s not physically or economically practicable.<\/p>\n

As for my last year\u2019s wines, I am generally pleased with the 2009 vintage; among my whites I have received favorable comments on my Seyval Blanc and virgin Chardonnay—meaning no oak or malolactic fermentation.\u00a0 In fact, in 2010 I will increase my production of light, clean, crisp whites.\u00a0 I rarely find a commercial bottling of a full-bodied, buttery chardonnay interesting anymore. Give me razor sharp acidity and bright flavors any evening.<\/p>\n

My red wines are also pouring nicely but are still aging in bottle to round out some of the oak edges and soften the palate.\u00a0 One bottling I dubbed \u201cCashmere\u201d is a blend of fifty percent Cabernet Sauvignon and fifty percent Cabernet Franc.\u00a0 It is a fruit forward, soft and smooth wine, almost, er, Cashmere-like in texture. \u00a0I have received several compliments on it already, telegraphing it will be a family favorite this coming winter.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most telling sign that I will soon be deep into winemaking was the arrival of my lab supplies last week. \u00a0Each year I replenish these items to assure fresh yeasts, additives, and cleaning supplies are in stock.\u00a0 Now, I am simply waiting for the phone call, \u201cWe are harvesting the Seyval this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon, there will again be new wine in old bottles.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Hagarty Cellars Wine Lab<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New Wine in Old Bottles as 2010 Grape Harvest Nears     Hot and dry describes the Virginia summer of 2010. \u00a0All of us can look at our lawns and appreciate what the power of the sun and the lack of rain can create, or more accurately, destroy.\u00a0 Rock hard and brown is not a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[173,131,172,174],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n