December 8
December is the month in which the cellars get back to a normal rhythm after the rigors of harvest. Currently we are topping and racking the 2008 Merlot wines in tank and following the malolactic fermentations in the Pinot Noirs in barrel. The Sauvignon Blanc is settling and getting ready for blending and bottling.
We also have the time to get back to the normal cellar work of barrel to barrel racking the 2007 Merlot. Whenever a wine is in barrel there is some sediment formed, which is called lees. The act of separating the clear wine from the lees is the basis for the soutirage traditional which we use for our Merlot.
~Daniel Baron