(late post translation in English of September 28)
Well, the harvest is almost complete but there are many things to do in the hold still, and many loose ends to tie up (what I mean in this post).
These 3 weeks have been exhausting, (and perhaps covers too much). But they have also been very productive, very creative and we had a pipe, but we had our moments of stress. But I'm not complaining. I love doing this, it helps me not doing the Bandarra through the streets, or spent watching TV, or bored, etc.:)
The reason that we have collected so many grapes this year is because that's part of our annual expansion plan. We want to raise the level at which we have been in recent years (honorable wine home, carrying out an expensive hobby, which takes time and threatens the family relationship) and this year to become at least winegrowers 'garage' (garage) to go below the level of small business viable. (The world domination can wait a little longer!)
New Bodega
This year we are in a warehouse "truth." Conditions in a building with a leaky roof and no walls with insulation to maintain temperature. A barrel room where there is moisture control and temperature, and facilities with the capacity to efficiently handle larger amounts of wine. We are not talking about a "chateau". Nor should you montéis a movie. The views are also spectacular. We are actually in a warehouse in the industrial area of \u200b\u200bMorata de Tajuña. Let's call it "functional." Hang pictures in another post (some have already appeared in other previous posts).
Apart from our own grapes Carabaña our vineyard, this year we have bought and collected more grapes from other organic growers in the area. Is that what we are brewing at this time in the cellar. Tempranillo 1, 2 Tempranillo, Grenache, Shiraz and Airen. A total of 6000 liters. One of those loose ends I was talking about is the purchase of additional Shiraz 1000 kgs, and confirm that sometime next week.
With those 5 (or 6 batches of wine), we must decide what kind of wine we produce. We have to sit one day John and I to decide. The result could be a complicated flow chart! We have already decided that a portion will go to young wine to be consumed preferably in the year, while another part will be for aging in barrels, with the barrel sponsorship program goes ahead.
We have several experiments going on:
Experiment 1: Sparkling wine
In collaboration with the producer Alfredo Master. Some of our Airen grapes in the vineyard we will leave, and in November or December harvests and to take hold of Alfredo, which has the space, equipment (and knowledge) required. We left Airen grapes in the vineyard to collect them in November / December, when supermaduras and have a high sugar content. These grapes ferment separately and added sparkling wine as "expedition liqueur"
Experiment 2: Carbonic maceration Let
Airen grapes fermented with carbonic maceration to see what happens. This is done by letting the grapes without squeezing in a fermentation tank and close automatically. See previous post. We did this last year and previous Garnacha Tempranillo.
Experiment 3: On Mother
We will also leave many Airen grapes to macerate their own skins for several days, like grapes, to see again what happens.
I think it is enough experiments for a single year! With 3 red varietals will 100% (Tempraniollo, Grenache and Shiraz), and test all possible combinations of blend, based on our tasting, analysis and advice of others, to decide which bottle permanently. Marketing
Then there is the question of what to do with this wine! They have to sell it to people to drink and enjoy it. In this way we can do more and better wines in the coming years! So a week ago, when things have calmed down in the cellar, I'll come to write your marketing plan. I remember reading a funny comment done as a matter of one year on the definition of marketing for some: "Making wine and wait for the phone to ring" Well. The truth is that not funny. Rather say it's pretty sad. Because it gives me the feeling that a handful of growers follow that philosophy. We are not going out there. Probably the only thing I have been clear since I started it 7 years ago is that there is and will always be 3 equally important and interconnected in our draft Ambiz Wines:
1) Grow (or buy) quality grapes
2 ) Making quality wine
3) Sell it!
Everything is actually very simple and obvious. 1) If you do not have quality grapes can not make a quality wine, 2) To get a quality wine have to be very careful to do no wrong / stupid / precipitation in the cellar. And if you have quality grapes with which to work and keep your facilities and equipment clean and hygienic, more than half the battle is won, 3) And then there's the third part - but many growers forget that for us is essential. Is that now you have to sell your wine! If not, you can continue making wine, and although John and I and all our friends it intends, could not drink up all that much wine!
Other Things (to finish)
New Vineyard
This year we took another vineyard in addition to what we already have 7 years in Carabaña. It is just a few miles in the next town (Villarejo). Has a hectare, Malvar variety, with strains of 30-40 years. The first year we will work with the man (now retired) that attended to date, to become green. It will be interesting!
Graft / planting
We intend to do this for 7 years, but finally this spring it seems that it touches! Carabaña our vineyard is like 200 holes where once there was a strain (he would die, would dry up the tear a tractor). And there are another 50 who have "naturalized" (not grabbed the grafted variety and died and the employer is springing up spontaneously). In the hollow we will make a hole and planting a new strain and wild strains by grafting a variety. We recently met a producer neighbor who knows how to do this work and are willing to do for us (we will put the unskilled labor and devote ourselves to see how he does and learn). Website
fervently need a website (besides this blog). I've been saying this for 7 years and admit that I gives a bit of shame go on at this point! What do I have bet on that before Christmas?
Another thing I like to do is keep track of the 65 cases of wine Airen 2009 that sold in the U.S. earlier this year. I have not done anything in this regard, with the summer vacation, vintage, wine, etc.. Wave has reached me through various posts, comments and tweets that things went well. And that's very encouraging. I have understood that our wine has been in the JPS Wine Tour event in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.
That's all folks! Thanks for reading. Any comments, thoughts or questions are welcome. I would say more. I would very happy!
(Translation by Ignacio Segovia )
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