And So it Begins
The 2025 vintage is here! We kicked off harvest this week with the Triple W (3W) Pinot Noir pick. We have used this vineyard’s grapes since 2015 for the Pinot program and true to form, the harvest timing was spot on. Over the last ten years we normally pick on the first of September plus or minus three days and this year we started at 0300 on the 28th of August.
A perfect cluster destined for the 2025 Volatus Pinot Noir
If you have read some of my recent posts, you might be asking something along the lines of “But Hal you said it was cold and harvest would be very late.” Although it is true we have been very cool this spring and summer and most grapes are delayed, the Pinot somehow ripened on time. When I first sampled the vineyard, it seemed the Pinot was on track for a mid September pick with veraison barely complete. My initial assessment was a bit off and fortunately, I visited the field a couple weeks before leaving the area for Tailhook 25, the annual Naval Aviation convention. Hook is always the week and weekend before Labor Day so close enough to harvest to feel a little uncomfortable leaving the area.
Out in the field for the second sampling of the year, it was immediately apparent the Pinot had accelerated the ripening process. Sugars were at 22 Brix but oddly only tasted like the mid teens because of the crazy high acid still in the berries. We normally target 24-25 Brix at harvest so these grapes were close. Temperatures were forecast to be mid 80s with great sunshine for the next couple of weeks, perfect for the final push to ripeness. I sampled again the morning I left for Hook and then the day I returned. The sugars were at 24 with acidity of around 3.15 pH. Acid was still a little high but the flavors were there and I called the pick for four days letter, the morning of the 28th.
Starting at 0300, the crew finished around 0700 after picking 3.4 tons of delicious Pinot Noir clusters. We had the fruit to the winery by 0830 and started to process immediately. I will post some great videos of the fruit and the sorting and destemming process soon.
After a day of soaking, the must (grapes, skins, and juice) tasted incredible and the numbers were perfect, 25 Brix, 3.35 pH, and 6.5 TA.
We are fermenting right now and the smell is incredible. I’ll update further as it moves along.
Fight’s On!
Bull Schmitt
