Reflective Blog entry for today’s visit to Red Hook winery

Today’s visit to the Red Hook winery made all the steps of the research paper a reality.  I am a visual learner.  So, getting to see the grape crusher, the juice pumper and the way racking takes place was a definite plus.  I learned about the preparation of the grapes from the minute they arrive from Long Island to the minute they crushed the next morning.  The way the juices are pressed automatically with an inflatable balloon, but being careful enough to not crush the pits and stems.  To being pumped from one vat to the other while racking.  Once you transfer the juice you are left with LEES at the bottom.

I also learned about their creativity with wine and how they go about crafting their blends and trying out new components.  For instance, skin fermented white wine which ferments for 2-8 weeks to enhance the flavors and color resulting in a crisp buttery white wine.  Another example would be the way Bob and Abe have different techniques in aging barrel wines,  stirring the leaves from the bottom of the barrel to marinate flavors and leaving space for oxygen while the other likes to keep the barrel always full. All these actions make wine with different characteristics.

Finally, I learned the difference in aging wine in stainless steel and oak barrel.  Stainless steal encourages reduction,  has contact with leaves, and it prevents oxygen exchange while the oak barrel provides Oxygen, leaves dye out due to the starvation for oxygen, oxidation and reduction takes place, and it adds an oaky flavor.

I enjoyed listening to Mark talk to us since it was expressed with so much passion and devotion to his craft.  As well as tasting all the vintages in barrel and fermentation .  It gave me a definite sense of the flavors a wine or juice has when is young and the character that it develops as it ages.  It also taught me not to lead too much with my nose since the fermenting red Merlot had a bit of a foul odor and yet had a sweet taste to it.