|
|
- Russian River - Windsor Oaks Vineyard, Sonoma CA (More Info)
- Columbia Gorge - Underwood Mountain, WA (More Info)
Malbec traditionally is used to add dark color in Bordeaux varietal blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. More recently, Malbec is being noticed as fine varietal wine most notably by Chilean malbecs.
For 2006, we offer our Russian River Malbec from Sonoma County, California and our Columbia Gorge Malbec from Hood River, Oregon.
As with other varietals with small berries, a frozen pail of Malbec grape must will yield between 2-1/2 and 3 gallons of finished wine after pressing.
"I think Malbec has the potential to be the ideal red grape for the home winemaker. It easily transforms itself into a dark, peppery, relatively soft wine. Every wine maker should have a carboy or two of Malbec, to blend if nothing else. It is a great blender. It not only goes with the Rhone varietals, it compliments - or vice versus - Italian varietals."
- Peter Brehm
|
|
2008 Harvest Report: Malbec: The impacts of the Spring in the NW limited yields to about 1 ton per acre, while also limiting cluster weight in our Russian River vineyard. The RR Malbec looked exceptional to me from the start. A little high in sugar, a little low in acid, the RR Malbec came in with wonderful flavors and ripe character. The Columbia Gorge Malbec had an extremely small crop for large, mature vines. It appears that grape vines respond to a very light crop by ignoring their usual input of sugar. The enzymatic trigger that gets the leaves, vine and berries working to sweeten the fruit, does not fully engage. While the skins and seeds mature, the sugar remains retarded. Thus is the Columbia Gorge Malbec. It can use a dose of granular sunshine on its own, or be a perfect match with high sugar and low acid reds - both Malbecs together make the perfect must. The RR Malbec, on its own should have an ounce of tartaric acid added before fermentation as well as the addition of acidulated water to reduce the sugar to 25° brix. Neither grape has SO2 added. Add SO2 after malolactic fermentation. Ferment to 85°F. These are great blenders with almost all black varietals from Pinot Noir to ZIN to Cabernet.
Recommended Yeast: ICV - D21
Malbec Vineyard Information
Photo: The view east over the Columbia River from the Columbia Gorge Malbec vineyard.
2007 Columbia Gorge Malbec
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grape Code: 07CGMB / Freezer Code: 512
Grapes harvested 11/7/06 in clean condition. A great blender for high sugar Cab, Merlot, Zinfandel or Syrah. Always check sugar as this does vary. Always add yeast nutrient after fermentation starts, ferment warm (up to 85 degrees F) with D254, RC212, DV10 or Pasteur Red. Punch cap down often. Long skin contact ok. Do malolactic fermentation, check upon completion with enzymatic test. Add SO2 according to post ML pH. French or American oak agin desirable - not for too long. Gary Oak or French Oak chips also add nice flavors when in stainless steel or carboys. Tast for acid addition after malolactic. Will add complexity and color to most red wines - a great blender as majority or minority portion.
|
|
Availability: Sold Out
|
2006 Columbia Gorge Malbec
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grape Code: 06CGMB / Freezer Code: 309
Grapes harvested 10/26/06 in perfect condition. A great blender for high sugar Cab, Merlot, Zinfandel or Syrah. Always check sugar as this does vary. Always add yeast nutrient after fermentation starts, ferment warm (up to 85 degrees F) with D254, RC212, DV10 or Pasteur Red. Punch cap down often. Long skin contact ok. Do malolactic fermentation, check upon completion with enzymatic test. Add SO2 according to post ML pH. French or American oak agin desirable - not for too long. Gary Oak or French Oak chips also add nice flavors when in stainless steel or carboys. Tast for acid addition after malolactic. Will add complexity and color to most red wines - a great blender as majority or minority portion.
|
|
Availability: Frozen 5 gallon Pails available in Chicago IL and Hatfield PA
|
|
Columbia Gorge Malbec
- Region: Columbia Gorge OR
- Age: Planted 1994
- Irrigation: Mostly dry farmed, Drip available, deep volcanic loam / clay soil
- Trellis: Vertical trellis, spur pruned. A bowl on a southern slope facing Mnt. Hood. Cab Franc vines budded over to Malbec has created a winner.
- Mid to Late harvest.
- Intense wine with great balance.
- Expected harvest at 23°-24° brix.
- 3 tons / acre
- Premium vineyard & grapes
|
Back to Top
2007 Russian River Malbec
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grape Code: 07RRMB / Freezer Code: 513
Click Here For Article on Reydration / Brix Sugar Dilution
Harvested 9/6/07 clean, very small bunches, no raisining. Deep color, clean small bunches. Tannins mild, mature, full flavors with a touch of acid. Dilute with acidulated water (See BV website for directions) to 24.5° - 25° brix or blend with lower sugar grapes. Add yeast food after fermentation starts and at 12° brix. Use D254, Bordeaux Red, DV10 or Pasteur Red yeast. Long, warm (85°F) fermentation ok. Long skin contact ok. Do malolactic fermentation. Obtain an accurate pH of your wine after MLF. Have an enzymatic test for malic acid to verify completion of MLF. Add SO2 after malolactic based on pH - approximately 60 ppm. Consider 20%-80% blend with Merlot, Cab Franc or Cab Sauvignon. Malbec adds color! Air dried oak flavoring a plus.
Availability: Sold Out
|
2006 Russian River Malbec
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grape Code: 06RRMB / Freezer Code: 310
Harvested clean, small berries on 9/21/06. Always check sugar as this does vary. Add 12 grams tartaric acid per 5 gallons of must. Add yeast nutrient at start of fermentation and at 12 brix.. Ferment warm, up to 85 degrees F with D254, RC212, DV10 or Pasteur Red. Punch cab down often. Long skin contact ok - not necessary. Do malolactic fermenation, check upon completion with enzymatic test. Add SO2 according to post ML pH. French or American Oak aging desireable - not for too long. Gary Oak or French Oak chips also add nice flavors when in stainless steel or carboys. An ideal addition to Cab. Franc, Cab. Sauvignon or Zinfandel. May be used as a Rhone component with Grenache, Mourvédre or Carignane.
Availability: Sold Out
|
|
Russian River Malbec
- Region: Sonoma County CA
- Age: Planted 2000.
- Irrigation: Drip irrigated, deep gravelly loam, slight southern slope
- Trellis: Vertical trellis, cane pruned
- Mid season harvest
- Small berries and very intense wine.
- Expected harvest at 24°-25° brix.
- Less than 3 tons / acre
- Premium vineyard & grapes
|
|
|
