Making Albariño Wine

To say that harvest is upon us would be an understatement. This week began with prepping our macro bins and readying the crush pad to receive Albariño. Amid harvest prep, we finalized the blends for the upcoming bottling. I can proudly say that the upcoming bottling will be an exciting one. The 2018 Albariño is filled with tons of pineapple, lemon rind, and apricot flavors. I hope everyone will enjoy it as much as we have. I won’t spoil all the releases for you, but I will say that the holidays are approaching and the 2017 Borboleta will be an excellent finisher to all your holiday meals. Smooth with hints of dark cherries and a touch of chocolate; it will easily complete any meal with the family.

By the time you read this, the 2019 Albariño Verde will be through most of its fermentation. Thanks to the cool mornings, chilling down the fruit was an easy task. All five tons of fruit for this wine were placed in the cold room and stored over night to be processed at 60º F. The juice was aromatic and fruity, with just a bite of tartness. Jason and I worked incredibly hard to minimize any “oxygen pick-up”. Meaning, we pressed the fruit fast, pushed all oxygen from the hoses, and even went the extra mile to ensure the settling tank was purged of all oxygen. This will help prevent any browning of the juice and aid in the preservation of aromatics. Here’s hoping!

Jake Blodinger, Assistant Winemaker