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Phone: 1.88.CUVEE (28833)
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Phone: 1.88.CUVEE (28833)
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© 1999 - 2012 Amalie Robert Estate, LLC |
Amalie Robert 2011 Spring Cellar Report Published May 26, 2011
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone/FAX 503.88.CUVEE (28833)
Web site Address
2011 Spring Cellar Report and Photo Journal Winemaking: The continuation of terroir by other means. ™
Hello and welcome to the 2011 Spring Review and Photo Journal!
We would like to open this window into Amalie Robert Estate with a riveting new trademark for the 2008 vintage. Here it is: “Winemaking: The continuation of terroir by other means. ™”
The topics we are going to cover include fermenting with whole clusters, indigenous yeast from the vineyard, 18 month barrel aging, and the human factor – blending for complexity. Of course, you need to start with a few tons of grapes. Please review the 2010 Fall review and Photo Journal to see how we grow our wine. Or watch this video. Lastly, we will pull back the curtain and show you how we found our groove for Pinot Noir.
First off, how
do you ferment with whole clusters and why would you?
Back when mankind was first enlightened to the fact that rotting fruit could
produce
alcohol
Consequently, many clusters of grapes found themselves mashed, stomped or otherwise macerated into a pulpy, juicy, stemmy primordial soup, and then left to ferment (aka rot) on their own. The resulting “wine” was then filled into pitch (pine tar) sealed goat skins (beta version of the modern bota bag) for storage and near term consumption. The good news for the human race is that at wine’s level of pH (acidity) and alcohol, deadly bacteria cannot survive, and that is why (along with opposable thumbs) humans are still alive today.
Eventually, and without committee, the world evolved and we had the Worlds Fair in Paris. It was in the late 1800s when someone like Louis Pasteur said, “We can do better, and we will.” Or was that Jules Verne? The point is, machines were invented that would separate the berries from the stems they were so firmly attached to when harvested from the vine. This development single handedly separated those with excess capital from it. This may have left out most of the Burgundians.
Let’s move forward to today’s level of “modern” winemaking. In most premium Willamette Valley vineyards, grapes are still harvested by humans using plastic baskets, known today as 5 gallon buckets. These buckets are dumped into bins that are then transported on carts by tractors, to a place where the grapes are fermented. So far, not too much evolution with the exception of the internal combustion engine, which is conveniently measured in “horsepower.”
Modern winemaking affords us the choice of de-stemming clusters or using the entire cluster including the stem. Often times we choose to start with a portion of whole clusters and add the remaining grapes after being de-stemmed. Bear in mind, in preserving the characteristic of our vineyard in the wine, we seek to expose every nuance. But most importantly, we are looking to the future when we decide to use whole clusters.
The stems in the fermenter make a very significant impact in the finished wine. During fermentation, the must (an old word that means fermenting juice) gets warm due to the yeast converting sugars to alcohol. That warm alcohol acts as a solvent and is extracting flavors, aromas and tannins from the grape skins, seeds and, if we use whole clusters, the stems.
But the real reason we use whole clusters in our fermentations is that those stem tannins develop and change with time in the bottle. The goal of this fermentation technique is to provide complexity in the aroma, flesh out the mid-palate richness, and add length and tannin (grip) to the finish, especially after 3 to 5 years in the bottle.
Wines that are completely de-stemmed miss out on this evolution of added complexity during bottle aging (We prefer the term “bottle maturation.”) Fermenting with whole clusters provides the “da Vinci code” to discover the timelessness of terroir. No matter how long you wait, de-stemmed wines will never be as evolved, ceteris paribus.
Now, what’s the deal with indigenous yeast? Consider for a moment the yearly cycle of the vine. In a mature vineyard, the vine awakens in the spring to posts and wire, a prison for the new emerging spring growth. But persevere it does, and at the end of the fall season it is be-dangled with grapes.
The vine’s entire purpose is to ripen seeds and make the berries irresistible to the local fauna. The goal is to get those seeds away from the mother vine to establish new vines. But sometimes the berries just fall to the ground, and what do you think is down there waiting for them? That’s right, indigenous yeast specific to winegrapes that is unique to that vineyard. I know what you are thinking, and will counter with the “Chicken and Egg dilemma.”
A recent article in The World of Fine Wine magazine from Jamie Goode of the Wine Anorak online magazine covers this topic in detail. It seems the vine and yeast have evolved together, much like politicians and lobbyists. When those grapes hit the ground, the yeast is all over them, decomposing the tissue and returning the nutrients to the soil. Typically, we would refer to this concept as composting, but when done in a winery, it is called fermenting.
The final question to answer is how does the indigenous yeast that is on the ground get onto the grapes? Clearly, this has been happening for centuries, so we can rule out the GPS. With that out of the way, we can consider the shuffling of feet, or hooves, in the field disturbing the soil and “inoculating” the berries in the field.
From there we can rely solely on the predisposition of yeast and simple mathematics. Consider the worst case scenario when only 1 yeast cell makes its way onto a single grape berry. That berry is jammed in with about 3,000 pounds worth of other berries and a few stems for extended tannin development. Yeast reproduce by cell division, a very old and reliable form of reproduction where 1 cell leads to 2, then 4, and 8, and so forth until eventually we have 1.6x10 25 yeast cells per milliliter of must. Here we can see the leverage inherent in an indigenous fermentation.
But wait! There are several other bacteria and yeast strains that are more than happy to grow in this nutrient rich environment before the indigenous yeast build up a controlling population. Here lies another opportunity for wine aroma complexity that reflects the unique characteristics of a vineyards terroir. Some people may be more familiar with the technical term “Pinot Funk.”
Often times, these organisms require oxygen to survive, they cannot survive in the presence of alcohol or they are sensitive to low pH (acidity). The growth of these organisms, along with the increase in indigenous yeast activity is what is known as a “self correcting situation.” That is, the indigenous yeast will soon produce enough alcohol and carbon dioxide to effectively kill them. Problem solved.
But before they go, they leave a little aroma signature in the wine. How much aroma is largely dependent upon the time devoted to grow and harvest clean, healthy fruit from the vineyard. Healthy fruit from our Estate vineyard is sorted in the field to insure we are not bringing in a high “microbial load” of spoilage organisms that can hi-jack a fermentation and lay waste to an entire years worth of effort. Growing our own wine, as opposed to buying someone else’s problems, is a huge advantage.
Now a little bit of this and a little bit of that during fermentation can add interest and complexity to the bouquet. Eventually the wine yeast population will dominate and finish the fermentation. The result is an evolution of aromas from each indigenous organism that contributed to the fermentation. This is either the smell of terroir, or Pinot Funk – the choice is yours.
The alternative is to add a commercial strain of manufactured yeast right from the start. This immediately overpowers any chance of the vineyard terroir dominating the bouquet. Think full frontal lobotomy. The result is certainly wine, and it will achieve its intended purpose. But who wants to drink wine with Nurse Mildred Ratched if you don’t have to? It did not end well for Mr. Randle Patrick McMurhy. Filmed in Oregon at the State hospital in Salem, 1975.
So what is happening for that year and a half in barrel? Not unlike incarceration, we barrel age our wines until we deem them ready to enter society. Here is the timeline. Typically, we are harvesting Pinot Noir during mid-October plus or minus a week. The Chardonnay gets about 10 days more hang time and the Syrah and Viognier wait until the first week of November. The fermentation covered above takes about 3 weeks. That means we start filling barrels with new wine in mid-November to December.
There are several things happening during the barrel aging process. The first thing that happens is the malic acid naturally present in the wine is converted to lactic acid. This is often called a secondary fermentation or conversion and it is carried out by bacteria, not yeast.
We complete a secondary fermentation on all red wines in the barrel. We do this to prevent it from happening in the bottle. The impact on the wine is to reduce the “green apple” acidity and replace it with a smoother, more palatable lactic acid.
There are several strains of bacteria that can be used to complete this secondary fermentation. Some strains produce the buttery esters that are often associated with barrel fermented Chardonnay. We employ strains that are very neutral in their aromas. The bacteria are also very susceptible to temperature – they simply refuse to work if the cellar is to cold.
We typically see our malo-lactic conversions complete in May or June of the year following harvest. Once the malo-lactic conversion is complete, we add sulfur dioxide as a microbial protective agent. Sulfur dioxide is what you smell at the 4th of July fireworks display. Over time it dissipates in the air and is gone. A similar phenomenon happens in wine.
The difference between wine and vinegar is sulfur dioxide. It is said anyone can make wine, but leave it to God and He will make vinegar. This is due to sulfur dioxide’s ability to prevent spoilage organisms from growing in wine. A young wine is at risk of spoilage until it is either sterile filtered or has a bit of sulfur dioxide protecting it.
The use of whole clusters during fermentation results in tannins being extracted from the stems. These stem tannins are very rough and the flavor profile is reminiscent of a freshly cracked pecan shell. They provide a drying sensation in the mouth and immediate puckering – not a pretty sight to the uninitiated.
Barrel aging of
wine is the process where
A similar model is seen with Oporto. Vintage Port wine spends much less time in barrel and is bottled sooner than a Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port. The reasoning is that a Vintage Port is expected to develop in bottle over a period of at least 30 years. The LBV wine has spent more time in barrel and has had that development due to the air exchange through the staves. The LBV wine is drinkable upon release. The Portuguese were becoming concerned their customer base was “passing on” before they had the chance to enjoy their wines.
Now recently there has been quite a fuss made about wine alcohol levels, especially in Pinot Noir. This recent posting in the New York Times is quite illustrating of the kerfuffle. And we close this section with the history of the phrase “Hoist with one’s own petard.”
The art of blending for complexity We view wine as a lifestyle choice. Everyone has different criteria for what makes a wine appropriate in any given situation. But at the end of the day, everyone wants to feel good about the choices they have made. This is especially true if you are the one choosing the wine blends.
All of our Pinot Noirs are based on barrel selections, as each barrel has a unique representation of our terroir. Our initial tastings start after the malo-lactic conversion is complete and continue, barrel by barrel, month by month, until all of the blends are finalized. Of course, all of our wines are “Estate Bottled.”
We then proceed to the Hers and His reserves Amalie’s Cuvée and Estate Selection. This is our opportunity to each select about 10 to 15 barrels that represent our individual palates. It is very rare in life to get exactly what you want, but this is one of those opportunities. When we finalize these blends, they uniquely express the vineyard terroir as we experience it.
At about this time of the process, we are looking for anything unique that may have captured our attention throughout the year. Ernie is always looking for an excuse to conduct blending trials on any spare barrels of Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir. Dena has to sanction this activity, but if Ernie finds a compelling blend, it will stand - maybe.
The Dijon Clones and Vintage Debut blends are also made hand in hand. We harvest, ferment and barrel each vineyard block separately. This allows us the chance to experience all of the clones we grow and the terroir of the vineyard blocks where they originate.
The Dijon Clones range the flavor and aroma spectrum from bold and spicy to elegant and sublime. This provides us artistic license to create a blend with these clones that can be flamboyant, yet still rooted in our terroir. We blend barrels from each of the Dijon Clone blocks we grow into this wine to create a complete and uplifting palate experience. We also leave a few barrels as spice for our Vintage Debut.
The Vintage Debut is the first Pinot Noir we release from the vintage. This blend reflects the vineyard and the vintage in a way that is more open and enjoyable as a young wine. We are looking to share the broadest interpretation of our terroir.
Nothing says terroir like stainless steel fermented Chardonnay. Her Silhouette is a transparent and revealing expression of Chardonnay. Our fruit is sourced from a single block in the center of the vineyard comprised of 2 Chardonnay clones. We expose the berries early in the growing season to develop intense flavors and aromas. Fermented in stainless steel, this wine provides an authoritative expression of terroir - how and where it was grown. Sunshine in a glass.
We start with the same Chardonnay fruit used in Her Silhouette, but we put it into a new 500 liter French oak barrel. The big barrel format allows us to extend cellar aging to impart texture in the wine, without picking up the oaky, smoky, toasty detractors. The result is a sublime expression of the Chardonnay grape that is very versatile in food pairings and, perhaps, just a little too friendly around 4:30 Saturday afternoon.
“Champagne deconstructed” is how we present our line-up of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. We grow Pinot Meunier in block 1 – alone and unafraid. This block is the sole source of our Pinot Meunier, and it is not blended with any other blocks. It has its own fermenter in the winery and garners a 4 barrel space in the cellar. This wine provides a single vineyard, single block expression of our terroir through Pinot Meunier.
From here we personally bottle and store all of our wines at the winery, encased below grade in 1,200 tons of concrete. Our wine release schedule is based on good behavior. Specifically, we want our wines to behave well when you are pairing them with your finest culinary creations - your terroir. Please note: We would like to point out that bacon is a gluten free food. Just sayin’.
Breaking News: Did you know Amalie Robert Estate is part of the greatest Pinot Noir focused gastronomical event of the year? The 25th Anniversary International Pinot Noir Celebration (aka the IPNC) is happening in McMinville, Oregon this year from July 29th – 31st.
If you can’t make the IPNC, you are welcome to join us each month for a vineyard tour and wine tasting. Ernie will give you the low down on the vineyard and the promise of the vintage, while Dena can show you what the past few vintages were all about. Please follow this link to meet us “where the vintage meets the vineyard.”
Are you with me so far? Try and get that song out of your head. As promised, here is a peak into one of our first encounters with Pinot Noir – the French kind.
People say that no matter where you go, there you are. In the world of wine we firmly believe that all roads lead to Pinot Noir. Our first memorable moment with Pinot Noir was in Paris, the City of Lights.
We had spent the day touring Sacré-coeur, Notre Dame and the Louvre. As the late afternoon turned to evening, Ernie could see a bit of cloud cover forming to the west. This could only mean one thing; find a strategic vantage point to view the sunset.
We were left with the indelible memory emblazoned into our psyches. We seemed to float back down to street level, without ever really touching the ground. Ernie had a reservation at Vin sur Vin and we were going to be right on time, just after 10 pm.
The establishment was well lit and the aromas of French Cuisine were intoxicating. Beautiful stemware adorned white linens and held a private showing of wine for each couple. We moved through the room and were seated. It had begun.
The menu was in French, of course, but we seemed to intuitively understand. We watched as masterpieces occasionally exited the kitchen and were delivered nearby. The menu presented the challenge of deciding what to try at the expense of what not to try. We seemed to have the luxury of time. And then the wine list arrived, a tome really.
Wine is a universal language unto itself. Once you know some keywords, a few growing regions and the fact that Pinot Noir grown in France is called Burgundy, you are well on your way, at least in the US. This was something other.
Apparently, we had “the look.” A universal look that the Sommelier had clearly seen before. “Why yes, of course, we would like some help” Dena quickly asserted while shooting Ernie a silencing glance. This is the same woman who taught Ernie to take the first parking spot available, so as not to lose precious time that could be spent shopping.
After much page pointing, finger flipping and utterance of the phrase “Of course,” we had agreed to a selection that would not only compliment our meal, but it would be “Bon!” We were soon informed that our well aged selection was only available in magnum. Of course.
When the wine arrived at the table, it had the requisite amount of dirt and dust to indicate that it had been lying around somewhere, undisturbed, for quite some time. With a firm but gentle motion, it was out with the cork. A quick whiff indicated cedar and a sweet perfume reminiscent of your grandmother’s handbag. Then it was into the glass. At first blush, the wine was very pale, and we began to wonder about how the wine had been stored. “Perfectly” we were told, as it had been cellared on the premise.
After a suspecting glance we each gave the wine a gentle swirl and explored the bouquet. Good God! Ernie exclaimed, what IS this!? Dena returned an enthused and satiated smile. The wine was ethereal. We had just turned onto the road less traveled and discovered Domain Dujac. We really expected Rod Serling to cut in at about that moment.
It turns out that it was our fortune to have been able to experience this wine from a magnum. Especially since we had about an hour until our mains arrived. This gave plenty of time to explore our newfound avenue called Pinot Noir.
Our first roadblock was trying to understand how we could read through the glass containing this wine. We could literally see through it! We were told, quite frankly “It is Burgundy and that is how it is supposed to be.” Of course..
The aromas in the bouquet were sweet and tart, ever changing with air, but always lingering just out of our vocabulary’s reach. A quick back and forth revealed Pinot Noir is a unique experience unto each person. Dena’s descriptors did not match Ernie’s - at all! Maybe we were saying different words but meaning the same aromas, maybe not.
Taking that first sip was an epiphany. How could a wine do this? It was at first with fruit and then dried fruit, herbs, sweetness, very expansive and seamless. There were distinct layers of flavors leading you to not at all where you thought they would go. The finish was surreal with a mélange of tannins, acid, grip, length and cut - “the tail of the Peacock.”
For the second time that evening, we were left with an indelible memory emblazed onto our minds. The food we cannot recall at all, but our newfound appreciation for Pinot Noir continues to burn brightly. We had found our crossroads, and there was no going back.
If you would like to create your own memorable wine moment, we can show you the way. Start at the Eiffel Tower, say just around 8 pm on a warm summer’s eve. The walk to Vin Sur Vin is a casual 400 meters and takes about 5 minutes:
Walking directions to:
Vin Sur Vin Restaurant, 20 Rue Monttessuy 75007 Paris, France
1. Head east on Avenue Anatole France toward Avenue Pierre Loti 120 m
2. Turn left at Avenue Gustave Eiffel 110 m
3. Continue onto Avenue Silvestre de Sacy 110 m
4. Turn right at Avenue de La Bourdonnais 22 m
5. Turn left at Rue de Monttessuy; Destination will be on the left 62 m
Kindest Regards,
Dena & Ernie
Co-Founders / Co-Owners Amalie Robert Estate Dallas Oregon, USA
© 2011 Amalie Robert Estate, LLC
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At
Amalie Robert Estate, this means we steward the unique characteristics of our
vineyard through the winemaking process to showcase “Wines true to the soil,
Wines true to the vintage®” that offer “Pretty fruit, nice acid.®”
We believe in “Winemaking: The continuation of terroir by other means™.”
Ok, now we have the marketing out of the way, let’s make some wine.
The
tannin we derive from the 
Now
there is quite a bit happening in those fermenters right from the start. First
off, the yeast cells are consuming all of the oxygen they can and creating more
yeast cells. They will not go “anaerobic” and produce alcohol until all of the
oxygen is depleted. It is during this “cold soak period” the yeast are massing
for attack.
As these young
wines age in barrel, they are being slowly oxidized by the air exchange through
the wood staves of the barrel. The impact on the wine is to soften the tannins,
richen the mid-palate and gradually alter and improve the aromatics of the wine.
New barrels can also impart structure and bouquet in the wine.
the slow exchange of air through the barrel staves
will soften these stem tannins. Over time they will add weight to the
mid-palate, and the harsh drying tannins will evolve into spice and fine grained
tannins and produce a palate sensation known as “The Tail of the Peacock.” This
is the primary reason we age our Pinot Noirs for up to 18 months and the Syrah
sees closer to 2 years in barrel.
Another thing is
happening as these wines mature, the barrels are allowing evaporation. Often
times called the Angels’ Share due to the loss of wine without the act of
removing wine. But there is more to it than just evaporation. Based on the
cellar humidity, the Angels will take water or alcohol, either way, the wines
become more concentrated. Above 70% humidity, the wine will lose alcohol, as the
atmosphere is saturated with humidity. Conversely, below 70% humidity the
barrels will retain the alcohol and give up water. This is where our 1,200 tons
of concrete below ground is very helpful – it helps keeps the Angels sober.
The
The
2011 release schedule also includes our 2009 BFC – Barrel Fermented Chardonnay.
The BFC is prerelease code for
We
were on foot, and quickly made our way to the top of the Eiffel Tower. As luck
would have it, the refracting sun rays put on a show that filled the twilight
sky. Each moment was a continuum of depth morphing from auburn, to red, to
fuchsia and mauve. The sky was fluid in its afterglow. Stars began to appear in
the dark blue fringes of the sky. Twinkling in their pin point precision as the
last of the wondrous colors evaporated. 