cropthreash

Notes from the Vineyard



Handmade wines since 1983.

 

Notes from the Vineyard

FALL 1999

"Hedonistic fruit bomb"

That phrase evokes damnation and praise in the wine world. There are those who think a wine's attributes should be hanging out for all to see and enjoy, and others who think that wines which are tough, and not necessarily pleasant, are far more intriguing. I am a little leery of the implications of either extreme, but, aren't balance, finesse, and a sense of place important traits of a well made wine? In today's wine world, perhaps not, for there is great interest from consumers and critics in the new, big fruited, immediately accessible, oaky-as-hell, larger-than-life-wines. These are wines that could come as easily from Spain or Australia, as from California....the so called "international" style.

As an independent wine maker, I like to think I am the master of my own destiny. I have my vision of the ideal wine, and I know what to do to help insure I get the desired result. You obviously need great vineyards, low yields, and delicate handling of the wine in the winery. But in any trade that depends on the weather, there are no guarantees. In the bountiful 1997 vintage there was one special vineyard, Thompson, that went its own way and produced a very modest crop. And just as the fruit was almost ripe to perfection, we had an incredible heat spell that caused the grapes to dehydrate. We got in there asap and picked, but the grapes were super ripe. Tempestuous and difficult to ferment, I had no idea where this wine was headed. I nervously watched it bubble along for a full year. Bear in mind, the typical yeast fermentation takes only two to three weeks to complete. Miraculously, it finished successfully. And, as it turned out, the new wine was the stand out of the vintage, black in color, thick with flavor. A hedonistic fruit bomb, if you will. This wine wasn't something I would call my style, but it was amazing, so I couldn't see the point of blending it into oblivion. Because of its singularity, we chose it to mark the birth of our second son, Henry Daniel Tolmach, in 1997. This wine's outgoing, in your face personality matches Henry's to a tee.

So, the question of style comes up with this wine. Am I disappointed we were unable to turn this into a light, thin, thought provoking wine? Well no, these grapes were never destined to be that way, but be forewarned, this wine is shockingly huge!

Adam Tolmach