Véraison and Ilan
Isabella Ilan at Le Chambertin
Isabella Ilan and I toured the vineyards yesterday and we took home a lot of photos. She also tasted a few grapes at Chambertin.
Finally! We have color in the vineyards of the Côte d’Or in 2010. Here are a few photos:
Clusters at Le Chambertin showing a bit of deep coloring
Véraison at Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru 'Les Chaffots'
Color showing in the clusters at Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru 'Monts Luisants'
Newest vineyard source: Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru ‘Les Corbeaux’
Today I just confirmed my newest vineyard source for Maison Ilan. I’ve been given some fairly impressive offers for fruit this year. You can’t take them all, however. And so I have chosen to continue to be terribly picky in choosing my sources. The vines of Les Corbeaux are situated just against the vines of Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. This is to say that there are no barriers to speak of between these 1er Cru vines and the Grand Cru vines. The soil and exposure looks identical to the naked eye. I imagine there to be additional complexity in the soil adjacent to Les Corbeaux, though it would be gradual. The vines are after all approximately 3 feet away from the Grand Cru.
The vines here are on average over 60 years old. To be more specific, there is a minority in the vineyard of some that are around 45 years old, and some around 70 or so. The majority are just around 60 years of age. With this source, my sources in Gevrey-Chambertin and Morey Saint Denis lineup is a bit more firmed up and altogether more exciting. This makes 3-Premier Crus and 2 Grand Crus, all in fruit. I’m really looking forward to following their development.
Cheers!
Recent Addition: Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Monts Luisants
I just got back from confirming our newest vineyard source. Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru ‘Monts Luisants’, this site is quite impressive for a number of reasons.
Located in Morey Saint Denis, Monts Luisants has a few sections, one of which is even classed as village level. We are sourcing from a 1er Cru parcel. This site is far more rocky (tons of white oolite) than the Les Chaffots site that I source from, and quite a bit more steep. The vineyard is situated on a 27% grade! Another interesting bit is that part of Monts Luisants 1er Cru was actually parceled off into Clos de la Roche Grand Cru. With Les Chaffots 1er Cru being directly over Clos-Saint-Denis Grand Cru and Monts Luisants 1er being directly over Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, lets just say that I am in a very good mood!
Cheers!
More cuverie progress
Early X-mas: Two of my four tanks coming into my courtyard
Today was a bit like an early X-mas for me. With the rain coming down hard on Monday morning, I was told I may not get my tanks that day. I wasn’t quite sure how the tanks could be damaged while being wrapped in plastic, but I figured why rush? Thankfully, the bizarre weather continued, this time going from intense rains to California summer-like temps allowing for the tanks to be delivered.
These wood beams were used to roll off the wooden tanks
With no fork lift at the winery, I was assured we would still be ok for the dismounting of the tanks. Using two 20 foot long wooden runners, we rolled the tanks off the truck, over some flat wooden runners which made their way into the cuverie and it all went fairly well. After having a tank in the cuverie, we placed four motorscooter tires on the floor, and raised the tank onto them. After jacking them up with a 50 year old truck jack we were able to place the temporary wooden stands. Each tank has four wood pieces that make the stand. They arrive with two and the other two are placed on while removing the temporary wood stands once the tanks are in place.
Tanks are in place, waiting for hardware
Since we needed to roll these tanks off the truck, the tanks came with all of the hardware unattached. Thankfully the tank producer was more than happy to install everything on location. Temp gauge, tasting valve, the standard two valves (one for evacuation of wine and one for evacuation of water). No doors were ordered as these are really short enough to simply shovel out the marc on press day measuring just around 5’10″ or so. The tank in the corner is the largest tank I will have. So, punchdowns should be really easy without bumping my head. This is priceless.
Hardware attached after just 45 minutes
Tanks are in place and hardware is attached. After some quick measurements, the small tank is placed quite close to a door which gives me a lot of room. I initially hesitated since I didn’t think it would fit. However, things feel just right in there. The other tanks will line up against the walls quite well, giving me room to clean in between them as well as allowing for space for whatever may be needed. I also have room in the cuverie for various tools in a separate away away from the tanks. Punchdown equipment, temp gauges…maybe a few other things which I don’t really but they are nice to have.
Of note, I am not sure what to do with this last steel tank of mine. I have a tank for topping up already. However, the steel tank has a lot of extra equipment added on. Its a nice tank. Anyhow, I think about it. As of now, there is plenty of room to allow it to hang out for awhile. There is much more room (maybe forget that ‘much’ part) than there appears to be from the pics. I’ll try to shoot some more today.
Cheers!
Les malos commencée
Alright, I just received news from the lab that indeed the Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru ‘Les Chaffots’ and the Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru have just (juste commencée) started malolactic fermentation. Le Chambertin is just a bit behind (pas commencée). Sounds right as the grapes were the last to be brought in, last to start fermentation and to be pressed. Also, I have posted the analysis chart so the numbers can be shown. You will see the topping up wine has yet to begin the malo. This wine is more of my MSD 1er Cru that I produced in 2009.
Charles Gerhin has been a big help in making sure the wines have been topped up while I am away, as well as running analysis for me. So, he has been a big help. Thanks Charles for being such a great friend!
Back to the wines. The cellar is slowly warming up since the weather has been creeping up a few degrees here and there, at times being a few degrees warmer than the San Francisco Bay Area. I will be sure to tell my friends in Burgundy this when they say that California has the best weather in the world. I fully expect the Le Chambertin barrels to start their secondary fermentations shortly. If they don’t, I sure won’t miss any sleep. Each of us should be left at our own natural pace.
Above you may notice which wines have started malolactic fermentation
Cheers!
2009 Futures Release and Concept Label
Hello,
things have been really busy the last few days…in a very good way. On March 2nd, I launched the 2009 Futures Release and the amount of support for both incoming orders and new mailing list members has really been unbelievable. This is all seriously humbling. As much as I would like to come up for a gasp of fresh air, I know its best to keep my head down and continue working. This is just the beginning after all!
As a side note, I have received a few emails about the label design. So, here is a bit of a sneak peek at the label for Le Chambertin. The other bottlings will not have photos.
Hope you enjoy it!
Cheers!
The joys of moving
Just back from Burgundy, and I feel such a relief knowing that my wines are under my own roof. Everything just seemed to fall right into place. The day of the move, I received my long awaited negociant license allowing me to move my wines to my own facility. Within two hours, I had rented a truck, found some friends to lend me the use of their forklifts and threw myself into the moment without taking time to think too much. Thankfully, this tactic didn’t bite me on the butt…too much.
With six of my barrels loaded up on the flatbed truck, silicon bungs in place, I headed out from Saint Aubin making my way to Nuits-Saint-Georges. Shortly after making a left around Puligny-Montrachet, I looked in the rearview mirror to spot wine spouting upwards and out of the barrel due to an escaped bung. Looking inside the barrel and on the floor of the flatbed, just a small amount managed to get out the barrel. Coming to a quick stop, I checked for the bung coming up empty handed. I was lucky enough to have a fresh dress shirt I had planned to wear after working. Today, it worked as an emergency bung until I got to a winery equipment shop in Meursault. I replaced all the silicon bungs with wooden bungs. These bungs are used along with a piece of burlap which sits between the wooden bung and the bung of the barrel. I pushed on toward Nuits, realizing that at any moment my move was being put in danger.
Arriving in Nuits, I picked up the forklift of a friend and went to work. It was quite an experience having my new neighbors stand outside the door to my courtyard watching, waiting for the new guy to mess up. Well, never to let anyone down I did just that. Luckily, no one was watching. Getting off the first two racks went quickly. The last was where things went pear shaped. I ended up driving too deep onto the dirt near my courtyard. Due to the recent snow and rain (you can see where this is going…) the dirt was now mud in some spots. I ended up digging the right side wheels deep into the mud, causing the drive wheel to be raised off the ground. I tried all sorts of ways to get the wheel down, at times just managing to burn rubber on the ground. Due to this delay, I was unable to make another trip that night. My friend came by later that night and helped free the forklift. He had a rope and I basically used the truck to drag the forklift in a downward motion which gave him traction to be freed.
The next day, my last of the trip, I started out at 6am. Two trips were made bringing the barrels over. I had made the choice of foregoing pumps early on which left just a few options. I could find a way to bring the barrels down my cave stairs full or siphon out using a tube. I chose the tube method. Placing empty barrels in the cave on the mares (runners) went without a hitch. Full barrels were placed at the top of the stairs with a food grade silicon tube measuring 15 meters stretching from the cave entrance to the placed empty barrels inside the cave. My friend was there to help siphon the first three barrels with me. At around 11:30pm, my friend noted how it would be impossible to finish that night. I said I would continue on, though I had a 5:30am. After he left, I just went about it knowing I had to finish up.
The empty barrels were easy to bring down. I placed them horizontally, wrapping my arms on each side. Walking backwards I would make the trip down the stairs without stopping. If I needed to rest, I’d place the barrel on the closest step above me. Once the process was in motion, the last barrel drained was left with it’s lees (I did cuvee by cuvee) so I had to be sure to carry the barrel, bung side up. Of note, when the temp dropped below freezing, all of the water that I sprayed at the top of the stairs turned to ice. A bit more dangerous. But, things still went rather quickly and efficiently.
By 5:30am I had completed the last eight barrels without issue, leaving just one barrel of Morey Saint Denis – Les Chaffots to be siphoned. My friend had offered to finish up whatever I left. And, with a 5:30am cab, 6:31am TGV in Dijon and a 1pm flight from Paris, I needed to get going. Just as I was about t close my eyes on the TGV my other friend called me up asking if I needed help. Within an hour, the last barrel was siphoned. With all the Maison Ilan wines finally under my roof I could rest. I can say that I have never slept that good before.
Cheers
Filled Grand Crus – Charmes-Chambertin ‘Aux Charmes’ and Le Chambertin
Two full sized barrels and one 1/2 sized barrel of Le Chambertin
Looking into a barrel of Morey Saint Denis ‘Les Chaffots’ 1er Cru to check fill level
Setup for filling Le Chambertin half barrel (two fill points)
View to bottle storage room from center racks in chais
Hammering wooden bungs (with berlap piece) for transport use (note: silicon bung in background)
Truck filled with barrels in my courtyard
A new négoce is in town
As a few of you have read, in 2009 things flew by quite quickly. Finding fruit, finding supplies, finding a facility, etc. All of this was difficult. One thing, above all others was difficult: the dreaded paperwork!
I will save you from the details of the grueling exhaustion that ensued. The enflamed hoops which I needed to jump through. Bottom line, today I revived my negociant license after over a year of paperwork madness. Now the work can begin…
So, here I sit. Lunchtime. Everyone is in their homes eating. I am waiting for the lunch hour to be over (2pm) to get moving. As luck would have it, while driving through Saint Aubin I spotted a generous vigneron who offered to help load my truck with my barrels.
Can you tell I am excited yet? More to follow.
Cheers…
Setting up in NSG
All I can say is that I simply cannot wait to get my wine into the cave…
Planning for the move to Nuits-Saint-Georges
On a cold day such as this one in California, I can’t help but think about Burgundy. The wine. The weather. The food. It just keeps going in and out of my thoughts. With such a big change coming up with the move(s), I’ve tried to pull back my excitement and let some time pass. As with most things, time has decided against this plan.
With just a few weeks until we are back in Burgundy, moving the wine (Full wine barrels!) to Nuits-Saint-Georges I have been focusing on a technical issue. Put simply, my full barrels of wine need to be placed below the house in the vaulted cave. The punchline? The only access to the cave is going down 10 stairs. This may seem like such a small detail, however, the prospect of dropping a full barrel of wine gives me the instant hollowing sensation in my stomach.
Traditionally, wine barrels were able to be moved down stairs using a rope and hook system which was anchored by two huge holes bored into the top of the stairs in the entry of a cave. There used to be a name for people that provided this service. It seems clear that others have figured out that no matter who is manning the rope system, its a potentially financially painful situation. Keeping this in mind, I’ve decided to take a different approach.
I will place an empty barrel in the cave and siphon (using gravity)a full barrel at the top of the stairs, in the cave entrance. Moving an empty barrel down to replace the now full barrel in the cave as the next to be filled. This seems to be the most practical way of doing this. Next harvest, I will simply fill the barrels in the cave using gravity and bypass the whole barrel siphoning step. I will also be filling the cave with gravel over the existing dirt. Should be fun.
Cave entrance (note holes)
Cave (larger than shown)
Bottle Storage Section of Cave
Cave. A bit rough currently. I will be adding gravel in January.
Cycle of planning continues
With my first harvest in Burgundy behind me, I’m currently looking ahead to 2010. As well as things went in 2009, there are many areas for improvement, mistakes to learn from, and shifts which are in the development stage.
Starting in January 2010, the facility in Nuits Saint George will be ready for holding my 2009 barrels. I’ll begin preparation of the cuverie area for harvest 2010 in January as well.
As for barrels, I’m planning on using a bit less new oak. For 2009, around 30% of my oak was new. I will be dropping my target number to 15% (possibly 0%) moving forward, while allowing for small changes based upon production numbers and vintage profiles. Obviously, a 2.5 barrel production wine such as Le Chambertin will be impossible to fit in this box.
The plan is to purchase a small amount of new barrels each year, and placing other old barrels which were purchased used out of commission when possible. Eventually, all of the used barrels in use would have been purchased new by Maison Ilan at some point. This is a big deal when used barrels are purchased without knowing 100% the full history of the barrel.
Also, I will be moving toward using all open top wooden fermenters. The stainless steel tanks will be phased out. My thoughts are based on the goal of having uniform fermentation vessels. The possible benefits (aromatics, longer fermentation times, less heat retention) to using this more traditional vessel outweigh the ease of use benefits of stainless steel, for my intended uses.
I’ve been thinking about winery choices quite a bit lately. With such a terroir based region, I have been trying to furthering the intention of treating each lot the same. The goal is to have the difference of the terroir be highlighted, instead of differences in oak selection such as oak age, cooperage, toast levels, pigeage regime, maceration targets, etc. With the differences in production numbers, having percentage of new oak used is (and has been) the difficult issue. The only ways to match the numbers is to go 100% or 0% (the latter is a strong option) new oak on everything across the board. I can’t see either as feasible at present.
In January, I plan to do make a choice on who to use as my sole Cooper (producer of barrels). I am leaning towards François Freres at the moment, however I am considering staying with Chassin.
My sorting table will again consist of a huge piece of laminate-topped wood. I am also on the hunt for an old wooden vertical press similar to the model I used for 2009.
More updates to follow.
Thanks again for viewing.
Cheers!
Done and done
Finally, I am back with some more updates! I have been using my iPhone while in France and my WordPress app has been keeping me from updating everyone. With a quick delete and reinstall I am back up and running.
The wines are now resting comfortably in barrel. I enlisted the help from the guys from South Africa from Domaine Clivet in Beaune. I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm for starting the pressing process. This was an excellent year apprently for juice. Most that I spoke with reported a great amount of free run with exceptional color.
I ended up with a shortage on both my Morey Saint Denis and my Charmes-Chambertin. However I was able to fill 2 full sized 228 liter barrels and a 114 liter barrel (feullette) with Le Chambertin which is quite a bit more than the 2 I was expecting.
I am very happy with the results. Is this the vintage of the decade that many are making it out to be? I think 2012 is shaping up to be a bit better. Meaning, it’s best not to get too caught up in the best, greatest and so forth. Being in France has taught me that I should be more focused on the benefit of one without depreciating the other. There is no best, just different. This vintage is showing to be one with many strenghts, however the enjoyment will only be known to the person with the glass in hand.
Here are a few pics from the weeks that the blog was down. My apologies for the down time.
Thanks again for the emails and replies. It means a lot knowing that others are along with me for the ride.
Cheers
Fermentations almost complete
Sorry to have gone with the lights off. Things have been busy. My wife and daughter have come to visit and to help out, so now it feels like home. I bought a used car so I could get around better. Hey, trains have their limitations.
As a side note, I wanted to mention that Lisa Mroz and her friend Peter were a huge help. Otherwise I would have collapsed from the huge amount of Charmes Chambertin I had to process.
Fermentations have been going beautifully! I went native yeast on all three lots and Charmes-Chambertin was first out. I will let the grapes rest until Tuesday and then go to barrel. The wine is really nice and should develop well in barrel. The Morey is the sweetest tasting, yet lowest potential alcohol level. The Charmes is a bit brighter, however, the Le Chambertin lot is stunning.
When looking at the fruit from Le Chambertin on the vine it seemed nice, but the other vineyards looked really special. On each fruit day, I was surprised by the quality of the fruit being so high. However, the Le Chambertin just flat out tastes most interesting and complete. Odd to say at this early stage but no one would be surprised at which one was which when tasted side by side…which is a very good thing.
Also, I have to mention that the fermentation did raise the eyebrows of a few onlookers thinking, ‘what could a young winemaker from California know about making Burgundy?’
*Of note, I intentionally used very few punchdowns on the wines. The MSD recieved 4 in total, the Charmes-Chambertin ‘Aux Charmes’ 3 in total and Le Chambertin was punched down just twice in total. All punchdowns were performed near completion of alcoholic fermentation. Results? We will have to wait and see…
Let’s just say that I am glad that I kept my head down and trusted in myself.
Well, enjoy the pics and I promise to update more. Thanks for popping in for updates…
Just back from Gevrey-Chambertin
Fresh from visiting Gevrey-Chambertin and the gravity of it all has a grip on me. I think it was the courtier naming off the producers I will be shoulder to shoulder with come harvest time that drove the point home. I am officially in contract on all of my fruit.
Now onto the vineyards. The Charmes-Chambertin I am sourcing is all from within ‘Aux Charmes’ which is roughly 10 feet (the width of the road which separates the two) away from Le Chambertin. Grapes from close to the RN74 are in Mazoyeres, but can be labeled as Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. My source is located higher above, on a gentle slope. The grapes were really were sorted curently. When tasted from the vine today, the Charmes had a nice thickness of skin, a soft flesh, lightly browned seeds, and bright toned fruit. The clusters hanging were very few in number, with truly a modest set of berries on each.
Chicken and Egg
The fruit from Aux Charmes is showing a generous amount of chicken and egg, which is excellent. When you have uniform berry sizes, the skin thicknesses (which are quite important for a Pinot noir), water/grape skin ratio are similar throughout the cluster. When you have both tiny and regular sized berries, older wine makers have always called it Chicken and Egg. The common thought is that with these circumstances, there are more nuances to the wine, which makes for something more interesting. When tasting the grapes, there is a noticable difference in the tannin feel, brightness of fruit, and the perceptible feeling of the flesh around the seeds. Will it be better? I have no idea, but whatever the results both the chicken and egg are apparent.
Le Chambertin
This vineyard is roughly 10 feet higher up te slope than Charmes, possibly 20 feet. The elevation has more variability than the gentle sloping soil below the feet of Aux Charmes. Chambertin has quite an angle as it reaches up the slope. My vines go from the street up to the top of Chambertin. The vines seem to point East/West as opposed to the North/South situation of Aux Charmes. The berries are just a bit bigger at times here, and at others impossibly small. There is quite a bit chicken and egg here as well. The soil has just as many stones as the other vineyard, however the stone looks finer at times, broken into rubble. The soil is also at times are a deeper hue of red than others.
The grapes have a deeper tone, the skin is thicker, more packed with everything. Deeper tone to the seed, more intense fruit impression, tigher flesh around the seed and more of the sense of acid. Before tasting these grapes side by side I would never have guessed at this point that they would have so many perceptible differences. Now, you couldn’t blind guess these at this point. However, side by side, most people, non people would clearly notice they weren’t the same.
Tonight I am happy to report all of this to my wife. My head is aching from thinking about all the variables in play. It’s a good sore. But I am anxious, waiting again for what seems like the shot before a marathon begins.
Well, to bed for now…to think, and to listen for that shot before I take off.
All Dreams lead to France
Well, not everyone’s dreams lead them to France. And, much the same, not all roads lead to Burgundy. In that same thought, I can’t imagine not going to France to make wine. Not too long ago I was on the less exciting side of a Harvest. Just waiting for it kept me up at night. I couldn’t wait to get my hands dirty, to see the fruit coming in. And the experience was awe inspiring. Nothing can take away from that.
Now, just to back up a bit, French wines (Burgundy to be exact) were the first wines that set off alarms with me. Californian wines have provided me with many memorable experiences. The ability to age has been at times mind blowing. Yet, with the wines of Burgundy, there is a delicate strength, seductive grace, that just speaks to all of my senses. I have to try to learn how to make something that beautiful. Something that is expected to age. Something that will be given the chance to age, time to develop. I want to make a wine that follows the tradition of a great Burgundy. And, I simply cannot do the wine justice by attempting to make a Burgundy in California. To me, our local wines are best when they wear their origins on it’s sleeve. At times graceful, other times powerful. Nothing can take away from that. Yet, here in California, I can’t make a Burgundy. And adding my name to the list of others making excellent wines out here does not clear me of this passion and drive that I have for these two specific regions that got me started with this path.
Until recently, this was just a dream. I needed to take a run at it in California first. I had to first get dirt under my nails, let pain seep into my back, and earn a few bloody knuckles. I needed to see the work without to silky sheen of romance creating a haze over my view. One thing I have learned is that making wine is never like what you imagine it to be before you actually jump in and do it. No one is waiting to congratulate you when all is done. The wine is done, hopefully you have learned something that will help in next year’s harvest and you prepare for the next year.
Well, I have been preparing. I have been studying French. Not just the language, but the culture, history and vinification methods. We are set to take a run at it in France. We, as in my family will be taking a small, initial trip to France this coming February to sort things out. I will be going door to door, resume in hand looking for two things: a stagiere (internship) and fruit from Burgundy with the goal of coming back before June for a longer stay. Like I say, I can’t guarantee how things will turn out. But, you will all be in on the process of my journey. Thankfully, I have a good amount of friends that are currently helping the cause by looking for positions for me in both Burgundy.
