Pinot & Zin- Weekend Update
Since Kiara and I were in Phoenix this weekend, I caught up with Tom and the winery happenings. On Sunday, he and Bryan pressed over 5 tons of wine. This cleared up a lot of space. He gave me an update on my two wines still "on the skins":
2002 Eno: Pinot Noir- Dutton Ranch
Still pushing a big cap, from malolactic fermentation. With this heat wave, I asked him to put visqueen over the top to prevent oxidation and fruit flies. I'm very careful with my pinots, they are so fragile. They were punched 2-3 times each day this weekend.
2002 Eno: Zinfandel- Teldeschi
With fermention complete, both bins are undergoing extended maceration. They are protected with visqueen. He "twiddled" (James' affectionate term for tapping gently) once each day this weekend.
Extended maceration, which is used only with red wines, takes place after primary fermentation and prolongs this contact period. The objectives of extended maceration are to increase the wine's depth of color, intensify its aroma, and, according to some winemakers, soften any harsh, bitter tannins so a wine is better suited for aging.
more on: epicurious' Wine Dictionary
Tomorrow night, I will go to the wine, taste all the bins, take numbers, and make winemaking decisions.