Harvest is in full swing here at Carr Winery! We’re a little more “pressed” for space in the tasting room than usual as cocktail tables give way to fermenting bins and grapes are brought in by the truckload. It’s a hectic, fun, busy time of year that we hope you’ll get to experience firsthand over the next few weeks. Here’s a little bit about what we’ve been up to.
Last week, we kicked off harvest with Pinot Noir, which we brought in and crushed the same day (photos below).
We also brought in six tons (that’s an elephant’s-worth, if you’re counting!) of white wine grapes, including Viognier, Grenache Blanc, and Chardonnay. The Viognier and Grenache Blanc will be used in Crosshatch Winery‘s co-fermented Rhône blend, Patina. Both varietals are picked on the same night, pressed, and then fermented and aged in stainless steel.
Our team had lots of fun foot-stomping Grenache for Rosé on Thursday. An important part of the maceration process, stomping grapes helps break down their skins, extracting colors and phenols which give Rosé its signature blush-toned hue. (Equally important is the quad workout it gave our tasting room crew…!) Next week, we’ll bring in Sangiovese for Rosé, as well as some Grenache Noir.
Punchdowns, or pigeage, are happening on a daily basis in the mid-afternoon at the winery. Punchdowns help agitate the fermenting grapes, ensuring proper extraction of color and tannins and reincorporating the “cap” of grape solids at the top of the vat into the rest of the grapes. Swing by the winery to see how it’s done — the aromatics alone will make your head spin!
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