How far does the grape go?

Alright folks, we all know that most wines come from grapes.  Recently I began pondering just how many grapes go into a bottle of wine.  So let’s put on our “thinking caps” and do some math.  Please keep in mind that different grapes are different sizes, so these are approximate values.

It takes around 75 grapes (one cluster) to make one glass of wine.  4 clusters of grapes equals one bottle.  One vine can make up to 10 bottles of wine (that’s 3000 grapes!).  30 vines create one barrel, and one barrel holds 300 bottles of wine.  300 bottles of wine is enough to fill 25 cases (12 bottles per case).  In a more linear format…

75 grapes = 1 cluster = 1 glass of wine

4 clusters = 1 bottle = 4 glasses = 300 grapes

1 vine = 10 bottles  = 40 clusters = 3000 grapes

30 vines = 1 barrel = 300 bottles = 25 cases of wine = 90,000 grapes

Aha!  There we have it!  So next time you’re out and about enjoying a glass of wine with friends, you can impress them by telling them just how many grapes went into their glass of vino.

Hydrofracking – The Right Thing To Do, The Wrong Time To Do It

There has been plenty of talk lately about hydrofracking in the Finger Lakes.  Drive down the road and you’ll see No Frack signs sprinkled about, then turn on the radio or TV, and you’ll hear how it’s the answer to all our energy problems.  A cursory Google search turns up more information than you’ll ever want to read, but it all seems to be agenda-tainted.  How is one to sort it all out?  I attended a seminar by Cornell University’s Dr. Anthony Ingraffea this week that really helped me decide exactly how I feel about the whole issue.  It’s worth stating that Tony is a doctor of engineering, not a scientist, which in my opinion lends some objectivity to this highly emotional debate.  So for what it’s worth, here are my thoughts:

1.  Hydrofracking works. This is not new technology, it’s just new to New York.  Others can explain the process more eloquently than I, so check out this link for the basics.  That being said, if our objective in the US is to gain energy independence, every cubic foot of natural gas produced here translates to less foreign energy importation.  That’s a good thing.  The problem is that from an environmental standpoint, we have some things to think about.  Let me say first off, that I am not an environmentalist.  I do, however, think that the natural beauty and bounty of the Finger Lakes is a treasure  I would not be willing to put at risk.  Risks notwithstanding, hydrofracking is a viable process by which to extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale beneath us.

2.  American Ingenuity. It’s an overused phrase, but we overuse it because it’s real.  There is not a single con on the list that could not be addressed, and solved by our national body of scientists and engineers.  We simply need to do so.  A major con at this point is the issue of water.  Hydrofracking requires a large volume of water – the number tossed around lately is around five million gallons per well.  Compared to the volume flowing over Niagara Falls per hour, that’s a small number.  Compared to what’s in your bathtub, that’s a large number.  Regardless, the water used in the fracking process is treated with chemicals in specific concentrations at different stages.  That means the waste water coming out is not necessarily recyclable for use in the next well.  It is also not suitable for general disposal.  It has to be either stored in tanks, or treated at a wastewater disposal facility.  We need to figure this one out – supply, disposal and treatment are a big question mark at this point.

I should also note that the Finger-Lakes-proper is not a hot spot for hydrofracking right now.  Check out this map (borrowed from here):

The main activity for proposed drilling (known as the “Fairway”) is in Marcellus Shale at depths that skirt the 3000 line on the map – deep Southern Tier counties, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and a piece of Maryland.  Seneca Lake is more or less on the fringe, and we are more likely to see infrastructure effects than we are actual wells.  We’ve got less shale, but more water.  So to sum up the bullet point, why not let Pennsylvania figure out what works and what doesn’t? The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will have a better understanding of how to properly write its regulations by learning from the successes and failures of our southern neighbors.

3.  Timing is everything. The estimates of the total volume of natural gas within the shale formations are just that:  estimates.  No one can say with any certainty exactly how much gas there is, although the estimates seem to be getting larger and larger.  Dr. Ingraffea presented the latest estimate, which is around 500 trillion cubic feet of gas, of which around 10% is feasibly extractable.  Based on our national consumption rate of natural gas (around 24 trillion cubic feet per year), this volume will not provide long term energy independence for the US.  The volume is significant, however, and so are the dollars, so the issue of timing comes into play.  Gas prices are relatively inexpensive and supply is relatively plentiful at this time.  Why rush into production when it’s not necessary?  Better to wait until the process has been refined, the safety improved, the regulations studied and implemented, and demand increases against the supply.  In short, get our ducks in a row now, so that if in the future hydrofracking becomes more environmentally palatable and economically necessary – we’ll be ready.

The best thing to do right now, in my opinion, is to keep the conversation active.  The more we talk about this, the better we’ll all understand it.  The sooner we quell the rumors of toxic radioactivity and earthquakes the better – progress and hysteria don’t mix.  That’s my two cents.  Let’s hear what you’ve got to say.

2009 Tierce Update

One of the highlights of my Wine Year is the creation of the next Tierce.  It’s a collaborative effort, so no one ever knows what’s going to happen until we all sit down together.  On January 11th, the Tierce Brothers (Bell, Reinhardt, and Whiting) and their trusty sidekicks (Renshaw, Becraft, and Seager)  got together for the first time of the new year.  The 2009 vintage, remember, was a short growing season plauged by rain and cool temperatures throughout.  Riesling ultimately favors this type of scenario, so we were looking forward to some interesting wines.

That goal of the first meeting was simply to taste through all the Riesling lots, and see what we’ve got to work with.  It’s still early in the Wine Year, so the wines are very young in character, often reductive, and heavy with fermentation esters like bubble gum, bananas, and fruit cocktail.  After tasting through all 21 wines, it was clear this year we had our work cut out for us.  My notes range from Delicious gooseberry and sweet lime to Ugh – burnt tire, and just about everything in between.  After discussing the merits of each wine, we discussed their potential both individually, and as part of the greater blend.  Several hours of tasting and re-tasting later, 14 wines made the cut for the next meeting.

Overall, a great lineup from which to create an outstanding Riesling.  I suspect the 2009 Tierce will remain true to form in both Finger Lakes character, and the historical Tierce flavor profile.  Only time will tell.

More to come!

Let the fun facts resume!

Welcome back to Meagz Fun Facts.  Over the past few years, you may have noticed a surge in the number of wine bars opening.  What a great, brilliant idea!  A place where you can sample wines by the glass (or bottle) and relax with friends.  I’m obviously enthused by the idea, but many of our modern day trends are recycled ideas from past decades.  So I was wondering if this was an original concept…  Turns out the Greeks thought along the same lines.  Allow me to expound.  When Mt Vesuvius buried Pompeii in 79 AD, it buried over 200 wine bars.  That’s over 200 wine bars in just one city!  Apparently the Greeks may have even more enthusiastic about wine than we are today.  Then again, I know some serious wine-lovers.  Hmm, food for thought.

Hibernation: Not Just For Bears

One of the questions I get asked most often is, “So what do you do all year after the wine is made?”  As I look out over the snow-covered desolate beauty of the Finger Lakes in February, I can understand why some might think that this time of year is best spent by enjoying the fruits of our labor beside a crackling fire and a good book.  No so, however, because there are some things happening in the cellar right now.

January and February are by far the low points of activity in the wine cycle.  As opposed to Calendar Years or Fiscal Years, I tend to think in terms of Wine Years.  Late winter is smack dab in the middle of the Wine Year.  Fermentation has finished, and most of the wines have been racked off of their heavy lees.  The reds have also finished their malolactic fermentations, and the barrels have been topped off and bunged.  In short, the wines are made and have been tucked away to rest.

So what’s going on?  The wine is chemically adapting to its new state.  Turning juice into wine is a fairly violent process in terms of chemistry.  The past few weeks of rest have allowed the wine to adjust and mature.  Acids are softening.  Flavors and mouthfeel are developing.  Color and protein are polymerizing.  Alcohol is integrating.  It takes some time for thing to come together.

One of the real advantages of making wine in the Finger Lakes is our nice cold winters.  Our tanks are enjoying the winter temperatures, too,  so that the wine can cold stabilize.  At prolonged exposure to these low temperatures, excess tartaric acid precipitates out of the wine in the form of tartrate crystals.  Other wine regions rack up enormous electric bills to achieve what Mother Nature gives us for free every year.  If I want to turn lemons into lemonade – every time I shiver to the bone from the New York winter, I think to yourself: “Hey, this is great for the wine.”

So that’s Red Newt in February.  Soon we’ll wake the wine up, but for now, let’s just let the sleeping bear lie.

I’m seeing Spring!

Well, maybe not quite yet. But Valentine’s Day is just a few days away, and the opening Red Newt Menu is done and ready to roll. (check out menu at rednewt.com). We are opening on Thursday, February 11th for dinner and have local musicians Eric Aceto and Doug Robinson performing 7 to 9PM. I am very excited about our opening menu! We will have our ever popular house made ravioli- this month’s filled with roasted parsnip, dried cranberries and garlic chevre in a nutmeg cream sauce! In addition we will have spinach gnocchi on our comfort food menu. Now if this doesn’t have your palate peaked check out this month’s Chef’s Menu. Our ravioli, roasted quail and a chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake that will knock your socks off are just a few of the courses. Remember we will be open for Valentine’s dinner on Sunday, February 14th, but will be running all our specials from Thursday through Sunday for all you early bird Valentine Sweethearts!

Harvest is upon us…so what’s new?

That’s a good question!  It’s the question that I ask every year.  And even with my 21 years of harvest experience in the Finger Lakes, I always get a different answer.

There are some new, neat things happening this year at Red Newt.  We have started harvest *very* early this year with our first picking on the first of September.  This picking wasn’t for wine it was for “Verjooz”.  What is “verjooz” you might ask?  Verjooz is our version of verjuice (or verjus) which is grape juice made from very early picked grapes.  It is very tart, like lemon juice, and very flavorful.  It makes a great component of salad dressings, marinades, and sauces.  In many situations where you might use lemon juice or vinegar you can use Verjooz to make a delicious wine friendly dish.  Debra will be working with Verjooz in the kitchen and posting recipes and videos soon.  Check it out at verjooz.com

The other question of the hour is “What is this harvest going to bring?”.  That is a good question without a clear answer.  I’ve been reading predictions of the harvest lately, made by various folks that espouse such wisdom of the future.  The fact is that, when trying to predict the outcome of harvest in a cool, variable growing region  months before a grape is picked, there are no guarantees.  If you feel absolutely compelled to feel that you know the future, try calling one of the handful of winemakers in the Finger Lakes who has been watching weather come and go around harvest for the past 20-30 years.  Their crystal balls are shinier than most.

The weather in the Finger Lakes continues to be just about perfect.  In the 70′s and sunny during the day and in the 50′s at night.  Great ripening weather.  It is really starting to feel like harvest.  This weekend I’ll be making my first “baseline” harvest assessment of the vineyards  I’ll let you know what I find.

Cheers!

David.

Boycott Red Newt? Why should this be?

Last night I received the following comment to a video piece that we did commemorating the 10 year anniversary of Red Newt Cellars.  It really has nothing to do with the video to which it was attached, but I didn’t want to just delete it.  After all, whoever wrote this had something to say, and wanted it said in a public.   So I have moved the comment here, on RedNewtWrite.com where there can be a venue for further conversation.

“Boycott Red Newt David Whiting has joined the initiative to shut down liquor stores and restrict your access to wine outside of supermarkets.  Send the message to Mr Whiting that having access to a wide range of wines means more to the consumer that false promises by Wegmans to carry his low quality wine.  Boycott RedNewt.”

So why did I get this message?  I can only guess.

Many of you may be aware that there is currently legislation being considered that would change some of the laws that govern the sale of wine and liquor in New York state.  The bill is sponsored by Assemblyman Joe Morelle and is titled “The wine industry and liquor store revitalization act”.   I think that it’s a good name.  The changes proposed would, I believe, result in positive changes for many facets of the NY wine industy, and would generate significant economic benefit to the State of NY.  If you are unsure of what the bill contains, or have only heard secondhand analysis, I suggest you read the bill yourself.  You can download the entire bill, or a copy of the memorandum which covers the high points, by following this link.

So why boycott Red Newt?  I have a clue.

Yesterday, I visited the Last Main Street Store Facebook Fan group.  Following my post I received the following message:   “We have removed your post and banned you from the Last Main Street Store Fan group. Falsifying who you are to stir up anger is not what the group is about. I suggest you display some professionalism and maturity in the future.”  Following this were a couple private emails suggesting I stop, lest my business by hurt, culminated with the post I listed above.

So what did I post that was so unprofessional?

Alas, not being a paranoid person, I didn’t make a backup copy of my now deleted post.  But it was something very close to this:  “I own a small business in the NY wine industry. As a small business owner, I am constantly changing my business and marketing strategies in order to stay competitive. I think that strategic compromise on this issue is important for the health of the industry and for NY State. You can read the Morrelle bill at this link: http://nywia.com/web/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=19&Itemid=9“

Recently, the Last Store on Main Street Coalition claimed success with their New York Wine Month(s).  Their press release claimed that the program “was a success, boosting sales of New York wines significantly and creating a stronger relationship between New York’s retailers and wineries.”    While I question the success of the promotion, I do suggest that there be a thoughtful and sincere dialog of how best to change the industry and move forward.

I believe that there is a solution to this issue that can benefit all who are involved.  But to arrive at this solution it is essential to be willing to discuss and consider views which differ from one’s own.

In search of the perfect rose.

Have you seen this?

Come to Finger Lakes Wine Country this summer on a memorable roadtrip “in search of the perfect rosé” at one of the over 100 wineries in the region. Rosés are light, refreshing, and range in style from sweet to dry. These wines are perfect for summer enjoyment and we want you to help us find the perfect rosé.

From May 23 – August 31 visit the wineries in Finger Lakes Wine Country “in search of the perfect rosé.” We want to hear from you and what you think is the perfect rosé of the Finger Lakes.  FLWC

Wow!  That sounds like fun.  Roses are cool.  Roses are tasty.  And roses are perfect for summer.

So, the next question is, “How many roses will you find in the Finger Lakes.”  The answer is, “  A lot more than a few years ago.”  It turns out that, as the popularity of imported rose wines increases (42% last year), domestic rose producers, including winemakers in the Finger Lakes, are getting excited about roses.  And why not?  Rose wines are fun to make and drink.  They are great food wines, and an extremely satisfying alternative to a heavier red wine during the summer.  In spite of the fact that I personally have not made a dry rose since 1992, I am very excited again about rose.

At Red Newt, we made a decision last fall to produce a small quantity of rose for the 2008 vintage.   The varieties I chose to work with were Cabernet Franc and Syrah.  There are different methods for creating a light red (pink?) wine from red grapes.  One way is to crush the grapes into the red fermenter then, after a few hours, or days, drain off some of the juice which has absorbed some, but not all, of the color from the skins.  The remainder of the juice and skins then continue on through the fermentation to become red wine.  This is what we did with the Syrah portion of the 2008 Red Newt Rose.  Another way is to crush the grapes, let them “steep” for a day or so, then press off the whole lot.  This process actually gives a very different result in terms of juice chemistry and resulting wine structure and is generally a preferred approach to rose production.  This is what we did with our 2008 Cabernet Franc Rose.

The final rose blend at Red Newt is 64% Cabernet Franc and 46% Syrah.  It is dry, crisp and vibrant with cherry and strawberry fruit.  I think that I had mentioned that the last commercial rose that I produced was sixteen years ago.  So you may imagine how excited I feel to be in the rose saddle again.  In a couple of months, I hope that you’ll share my excitement.

The Finger Lakes region is a region of change.   In winemaking, as in life and business, it is essential to embrace the world around you, to recognize change and to evolve your focus and practices to move forward.  The excitement and focus on Riesling that has been so intense in the past few years will grow and continue, but I predict that the excitement around rose will likewise rise to a fervor.

Cheers!

Just one more week of Riesling Month in New York…

So what have we learned?  Well, I’ve learned that winemakers and drinkers alike are really psyched about Riesling.  In past years, there has been focus and highlighting of Riesling in the month of May.  But this year, we’ve outdone ourselves.  If you missed all of the Riesling dinners, vertical tastings and celebrations that went on both at central venues and at almost every tasting room, don’t worry.  May is Riesling month in NY, but we celebrate Riesling every day.

The vertical tastings of older Finger Lakes Riesling were some of the best fun.  While I have been producing Riesling in the Finger Lakes for more than 20 years, it is seldom that I sit in front of a table of Riesling stretching back 10 vintages.  This kind of presentation occured at many individual wineries, including at Red Newt’s Riesling dinner last week, as well as at the NY Wine and Culinary Center earlier in the month.  The point that these events drive home is that Riesling is not just a wine that is fun and fruity young, but rather it is a wine that shows personality, complexity and ageability.  Note to self:  Drink older Finger Lakes Riesling more often!

Another celebration of Riesling occured at the International Eastern Wine Competition (IEWC).  The fact that 2006 was a great year for Finger Lakes Riesling was demonstrated again as the 2006 Tierce took top awards as Best Dry Riesling / Best Riesling / Best White Wine of the competition.  Tierce is a collaborative winemaking project that Peter Bell (Fox Run), Johannes Reinhardt (Anthony Road) and I  have been producing since 2004.  Our goal is to create a synergy of three vineyards, from three wineries, and three winemakers to create our vision of the highest expression of Finger Lakes Riesling.  It’s fun when other people give a nod to our success.

So, enjoy the rest of May and remember the three R’s of the Finger Lakes:  Riesling, Riesling, Riesling!

Cheers.