2008 wine notes

Over the last four months I’ve dedicated most of my time to Travessia’s marketing and sales.  It’s been fun but I was really itching to get back in the winery/lab.  So this past weekend I tasted the 2008 wines that we made at the end of last year.  Did I miss this stuff!  It was great to taste and try to envision the direction that these 2008 wines may take in the next few months.

My practice is to let wines “settle in” after fermentation is complete, taking advantage of the natural cooler winter temperatures in the winery. No pressure, no rush.  It’s like welcoming a guest into your house, showing them the guest room (or couch) and then leaving them alone for a few hours so that they can settle in on their one and make themselves comfortable.

2008 was a very different year from 2007.  Average heat but considerably more rainfall than in 2007.  As a result, grape sugar levels at harvest were lower than usual.  In some cases the degree of ripeness required for the fuller body wines like some of the ones we made in 2007 was not fully achieved.  Winemaking was certainly a lot more challenging in 2008.

Most of the Pinot Noir was lost to rot, with the exception of a single barrel which we harvested from what is practically a single row in the vineyard.  Imagine red raspberries…. Pour them into a barrel and let them have a party of their one.  That’s what this wine is tasting like right now.  Incredible for such a young wine.  Too bad there is only a single barrel of it, which is the same as saying 300 bottles.  This is the sort of wine which due to its very small quantity, may be available for purchase to Travessia wine club members only…. I’m just saying ;-)

All of the 2008 white wines seem very promising confirming what I already know… that we can consistently make quality white wines with grapes grown exclusively in Massachusetts.

* Pictured - a chromatography test result for a few different 2008 wines.  Four spots on the left indicate mallolactic fermentation (aka MLF) was completed.  Four spots on the right indicate that mallolactic is not yet completed.

Comments

[Derek F.]

Very interesting stuff Marco, Have I tried that
"small quantity" pinot yet??

[Marco Montez]

Hi Derek, thanks for the help at the Homeland film premiere party.

No, you haven't yet tasted the 2008 Pinot...

Take care,
Marco

P.S. How about that Rose? ;-)

[Derek F.]

First of all you don't have to thank me for anything...you know that :-) As far as the Rose is concerned I think it has so much to offer, it has a wonderful nose, great red fruit tons with with just the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness. I need to taste it one more time but I do remember it had a great initial attack with a lingering finish. I don't remember how the mid pallet carried itself?

Cant wait to bottle this stuff, please keep me up to date with this stuff so I can be there.