In the Barrel!!

Ok, I forgot to keep posting during the fermentation - so a quick catch-up.
Brix was 24.9 on day 1 - after crush. It took about 9 days to get just below 0 brix. I was able to punch down the cap on my grapes a couple of times in that period. I spent a good deal of time at the winery between crush and press, learning the ropes and lending a hand where I could. It was really fun watching the other folks crush their grapes, however my group was definitely more picky about which grapes to keep. Without a second sorting table we had to be right the first time.

Ok, so now we've reached press time. I was curious about how the free run juice would taste, but after putting my nose on the cap the aromas were great. I picked up roasted coffee and chocolate - very pleasing to me!! We pumped the free run juice into a brand new bladder press, and then dumped the skins in. I ran a soft press so as to avoid harsh skin tannins. I really want my wine to be approachable on the front end and not need several years to "calm" down. So we pumped the juice into a holding tank allowing it to settle for about 12 hours. The next step was racking into the barrel.

I chose 100% new french oak, a DAMY barrel. The medium toast in the barrel has an amazing smell. It reminds me of my grandparents house when I was very young - aromas of old wood, varnish, pipe tobacco, and bonfires in the fall. I will start barrel tasting at about 4 months to determine when I need to rack into a neutral barrel. We started secondary fermentation or Malolactic in the barrel. This will change the harsh malic acid (think tart green apples) into the softer lactic acid (think silk or licking cotton) for better mouth-feel. Not sure how long the change will take.

I will add the pressing and racking pictures soon.

Cheers, M

What's in a name?

So why 13th Floor Vineyards? To be completely honest the name doesn't have deep personal meaning, but the pieces fit together well and they make folks wonder and ask why?

For anyone familiar with the movie "23" you'll get this... 13 is reoccurring in my life. Born on the 13th, moved to Houston when I was 13, my full name has 26 letters (13x2), M is the 13th letter in the alphabet, getting married on the 13th, launched my business on the 13th (not planned btw), and my old license plate numbers totaled 13... that's about it. 13th floor, as most know, is rooted in superstition as being a non-existent floor or a floor with dubious or evil happenings. Hollywood does well portraying the evil piece. I chose it for the "eye-catching" part of my marketing plan - there is no evil in the bottle!

And lastly, one day in the not so distant future I will have actual vineyards from which I harvest my own grapes. Until then, my name represents all that is my brand, my juice, and my future endeavors.

Cheers, M

ps. 5/13/1980 when multiplied is equally divided by 13 - go figure :)

Why wine why now?

So I thought I would give ya'll some background on why I'm doing this wine thing. Well I started drinking wine about 10 years ago with my dad. He was working for a guy that had a very large cellar and spent a good amount of time in Napa every year. Needless to say I was introduced to some of the most prized, overpriced, and delicious wines available. At about 23 I started my own adventures into the wine world. Over the next few years I kinda went nuts, just ask my friends. I was attending tastings every saturday, buying case after case, digging deep into mostly Cali wines. I came to be kind of a wine snob - I was rasied on the "best-highest priced" juice and thus sought only the best, a costly path I assure you. Well now I have mellowed a bit and I enjoy many varietals from many regions - price is less important and doesn't always reflect great juice.


So why now?
Many of us never pursue our true passions in life, we always have reasons or excuses why we can't follow this dream or that dream. Money, family, time are all valid reasons that run interference in our lives. My wine adventures have helped me develop the underlying passion that is wine-making. My family is behind me, time is what I make it, and money - well I'll find it somewhere. My pursuits are not simply self-centered, but aim to create a lasting brand, a legacy that I can pass down, a company that gives back, and that absolutely delivers the best juice that I can create for my consumers.



Last note - I've always heard that a recession is the best time to launch a business - well I've jumped with both feet - let's see how quickly I can grow wings!



Salud, matt