On Nov 12, I crossed the first major milestone in the finished wine, the first analysis of the wine and the first tasting!
I get my testing done just across the Bay Bridge in Berkeley at the Oak Barrel.
Barrel #1 (new Rousseau Troncais), which holds a blend of Dijon 115 and 667, showed good clarity, candied cherry and raspberry flavors, sweet oak,and plenty of "jazz" from the new barrel. pH is 3.96, malolactic fermentation is complete, and the alcohol is 14.6%. Five grams of sulfur was added to the barrel.
Barrel #2 (neutral), all Dijon 777, also has good clarity (and the lighter color I was shooting for this year), nice rounded red and black fruit, much more of a "finished wine" taste than it's counterpart -- this blend is going to stand a decent chance of working out! pH is 3.95, malolactic fermentation is complete, and the alcohol is 14.7%. Five grams of sulfur was added to the barrel.



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