Crush has begun!

So, we picked our first ton of Cabernet Sauvignon last Tuesday! It was the first of the fruit we have picked this year and after some gentle encouragement from the rain, we picked it at 23.5 degrees brix and allowed the juice to have a 4 day "cold soak" to soak out some color and skin tannins prior to fermentation. This is a very important process and is necessary to making complex and well balanced wines. After the cold soak was completed, we moved the two half-ton bins in the sun to warm up and start fermenting on the natural vineyard yeast. With attention and care, each day we punch down the cap (the skins pushed to the top by co2 created by fermentation) to keep the skins wet, promote color and flavor extraction, and allow in fresh oxygen. Starting tomorrow, we'll start doing a once daily foot-treading to help the fermentation along and extract out the soft flavors that make up our creative juices!