Tony was hired by Mike in 1976. He has been a faithful 34 year veteran on the farm. Starting out as a irrigator, he worked with concrete piping until the farm converted over to PVC piping in the early 80s. There are still a couple concrete pipelines still on the farm.
Tony’s irrigation experience led him to his current title of Airport Ranch Supervisor, where he serves as the liaison between Mike and the non-English speaking crews. Tony manages up to forty employees. He is in charge of all of the vineyard and irrigation crews and oversees the pruning, shoot thinning, crop thinning, suckering, training, harvest, and a myriad of other tasks.
Tony’s favorite task is thinning. His favorite wine is Airfield Riesling. His favorite sport is football. Over the years, Mike has convinced Tony to become a Cougar fan.
Married 39 years to his wife Janie, Tony has raised three boys (Tony, Robert, & Joel) and now has six grandchildren. We would like to salute Tony for being one of Airfield’s finest.
People often think of Thai food as heavy and intense, the kind of rich, spicy food you’d want simmering on the stove on a cold winter’s night—but not exactly what you’d crave on a sunny day. But there is more to Thai food than the thick curry and greasy stir-fry mainstays of American Thai-restaurant buffets. This summery Thai-inspired menu shows the versatility of Thai flavors with two light and cool dishes, perfectly suited to refresh on even the hottest summer’s day.
The hardest part about cooking Thai food is usually figuring out a balance between salty, sweet, sour and spicy. The recipes below give estimates, but there is no formula—you need to find a blend that works for you. Don’t be afraid to pour and shake using your eye instead of measuring cup. When it comes to chopping veggies, go with however much of each you want to eat. Feel free to experiment and have fun!
Yum Neauh (new-uh)
My most memorable Yum Neauh experience involved a Hmong wedding in the north of Thailand where almost every last part of an entire cow was transformed into a dizzying array of beefy dishes, my favorite being Yum Neauh. The women sat at long picnic tables, peeling bags of garlic, chopping lemongrass and green onions, and pounding chilies for an hour. The meat was seasoned and laid to rest in a marinade, given a little time on the grill, added to a colorful bed of fresh vegetables, and drizzled with a dressing popping a complex and delicious flavor. Enjoy with Airfield’s robust, but easy-drinking Mustang blend.
Dressing:
• 4 Tbsp fish sauce (like salt in baking, fish sauce doesn’t give a fishy or salty flavor but simply helps to enhance other flavors)
• 4 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp chili flakes (more if you like it hot; also consider chopping up 1-2 fresh bird chilies per person)
• 1 Tbsp palm sugar (you can substitute brown sugar)
Salad:
• 1 bag pre-mixed greens
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (use both green & white parts)
• 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 bunch mint leaves
• Optional: 1 bunch cilantro leaves
DIRECTIONS
Grill meat to taste using your preferred method. (The meat is typically served quite rare—just charred on the outside, juicy inside.) Once it’s cooked, slice the meat into thin, bite-sized strips. Mix marinade & let the meat rest in it while you prepare the dressing & chop the vegetables. Briefly saute red onions to ease the spice & bring out the sweet notes. Arrange all vegetables in a large bowl or platter, topping with meat. Pour dressing over salad & toss.
Watermelon Soup
This refreshing soup tastes like summer vacation. After all, nothing says summer like cold, pink watermelon, but the Thai flavors add a whole new dimension. Serve with a variety of crunchy garnishes to complement the smooth, cool juice, and the crisp, fruity Rose.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 Tbsp ginger
• About 4 cloves garlic
• 3 stalks of lemongrass (don’t skimp here!)
• 1 shallot
• 1 serrano chile
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 medium watermelon
• 1 cucumber
• Juice of 3 limes
DIRECTIONS
Remove rind and coarsely chop watermelon, reserving a few slices. Puree in food processor, straining puree to get juice. This can be quite messy – be careful not to fill the food processor too full or you’ll end up with juice everywhere. When you’ve obtained all the juice you can, discard solids and grate rind of one lime into the juice. Refrigerate to chill. Dice reserved slices of watermelon and freeze on baking sheet. Mince ginger, garlic, lemongrass, shallot, and serrano chile and saute in oil – preferably Lime Riesling oil from Après Vin, but olive oil will work – until they are soft and golden, roughly five minutes. Add about 2 cups watermelon juice and simmer for five minutes more. Blend this mixture in food processor, then pour into remaining watermelon juice through a strainer, discarding solids. Add lime juice to soup to taste – I prefer about 3 limes. Chill. Serve with diced cucumber and frozen diced watermelon as garnishes. You may want to reserve some of the sauteed red onion made for the Yum Neauh as well. Mint or cilantro sprigs also add a nice touch.
A few months ago, we had a very special guest visit the winery – Jack Klein, retired chief master sergeant USAF. Jack was one of the WWII pilots that trained on our family’s property during the 1940s. Below are some of the notes that were compiled from his visit:
Jack came to the Airport Ranch for secondary flight training on December 15, 1942 after doing his primary flight training in Cle Elum beginning September 15 of that year. The primary flight training included ground school in the high school building and the first 40 hours of flying at the Cle Elum airport. Cle Elum was chosen because it was the first airport 90 miles in from the WA coastline. The Air Defense ID Zone mandated no-fly for 90 miles from each coastline.
Secondary flight training included practice of handling planes in aerobatics as in rolls and loops. At first they flew Travelair bi-planes which were open cockpit, two-seater planes that didn’t have inverted carburetion so they couldn’t fly upside down. Later they got the UPF-7 WACO planes which could.
At first the training was for civilian pilots, but half-way through the school it was changed to the War Training Service Program. They were training to become instructor pilots. The instructors came from the Olympic Air Transport Company owned by A.W. “Art” Whitaker and the planes were either owned by Art or leased to the airfield by the War Assets Administration. Art Whitaker was a Reserve Captain and was in charge of the planes and their mechanics.
The pilot training center (located at the present-day Airport Ranch) opened in October of 1942. It consisted of four barracks (which could house 60 men each), hangars on the south side, a shop, and an office/mess hall-kitchen building which had the only telephone on the base. All the buildings were unpainted. On the north side of the buildings, a subdivision had been platted with streets laid out, but the houses were never built. There was one runway cleared through the sage brush. Farm land was miles away.
The group consisted of about 100 enlisted US Army Air Force reservists there for the training and 20 Marine active non-com officers. The reservists wore old WPA uniforms which were brand new, but made of dark green wool. They were issued in the late spring when it was already warm.
When the training group arrived in December, a group of student pilots from Brazil also on contract with the Olympic Air Transport Company were just leaving. They had completed their secondary flight training and were going home. They were the pick of the country and had sharp uniforms, but had their share of mishaps. In fact, they had wrecked one of the airplanes.
Just after Klein and the others arrived, it snowed. The base was snowed in for two weeks and there was no snow removal equipment so there wasn’t any flying for a while. The men had time to organize a Christmas program for the cooks.
The mess hall was large enough to feed 50-60 at a time and they ate very well. There were 12 ladies who did the cooking. They got ration cards for eggs, butter and meat from local farmers because they raised their own and were glad to share theirs for the war effort.
Sunnyside was a quiet town, at least 25 churches, and no one in town after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday night. There were dances at the Juanita Grange Hall and the guys didn’t have any trouble finding women for the dance. One of Jack’s buddies, Lee Williamson, met a girl from Grandview and married her after the war.
Another buddy, Lotus Conser, was a tail gunner in a B-17 plane that was shot down in Belgium in May of 1942. He landed in a haystack and walked away. He now lives in Portland.
Chet Stimson, the chief instructor, became an aircraft salesman after the war. Jack himself stayed in the Air Force and has been retired now for 40 years.
We’d like to give a special thanks to Senator Honeyford and his wife Jerri for arranging Jack’s visit. We are especially appreciative of Jerri Honeyford for compiling these notes. She is also spearheading a project to unveil the historical roots of the Airfield, and we eagerly look forward to her findings.
As harvest approaches, we need to accomplish a myriad of jobs in the vineyard to ensure quality, deal with impending problems, and achieve crop requirements. Below are a few examples of our current vineyard tasks:
Bird Control
Now that August has arrived, we are finally reaching the end of our powdery mildew preventative program. When véraison occurs, (the period when berries begin to color and soften), the clusters are no longer susceptible to infestation. With the building of sugars within the grape, comes bird pressure. We do several things to lesson that pressure:
1. We distribute a metallic tape, known as flash tape, throughout the vineyard. The breeze and the bright sun light, create a light show in the vineyard that is disturbing to birds.
2. Secondly we deploy Avalarms throughout the blocks that we traditionally have trouble in. These devices are solar or battery powered and give off amplified distress calls of the birds that habitually feed on the grapes.
3. We also deploy propane powered cannons in areas of highest pressure. These devices are mounted on a rotating platform and are propelled by the concussion of the device and fire bursts of up to three shots per set.
4. We also have some metallic magnetic birds, that we suspend above the canopy. The theory behind this measure is that the magnetic field given off by the birds promotes an uncomfortable feeling in the feeding animals causing them to move on to different venues.
5. One of the final measures to prevent hungry birds from pecking grapes is the use of netting. Bird netting is our maximum deterrent, and it is not deployed until we have observed a substantial amount of bird pecking. Over the years, we have discovered that certain locations and varietals are more susceptible to pecking, such as Zinfandel and Tempranillo. The Zinfandel block is located near cherry orchards and tends to attract lots of Magpies. Tempranillo is a thin-skinned, early ripening grape, and it attracts Robins, Magpies, and Starlings.
All of these measures should be in place before bird feeding begins near the end of August. Protecting the fruit from birds is critical for wine quality. Bird-pecked grapes and berries can harbor bacterial and fungal pathogens that alter the flavor of wine or juice.
Extenday®
Many of you are aware of our use of Extenday, a material that we use to amplify the intensity of sun light in the vineyard. It is a white tarp that is deployed on the floor of the vineyard, running between the rows of vines. This material is stored in the vineyard and is deployed at véraison. At the conclusion of harvest we role it up and attach it to the drip wire. The timing on the deployment is critical and needs to happen when véraison is occurring.
Crop Estimates
Another job that we take on at this time of year is crop estimates. When we start the season we have certain crop loads in mind for each variety. As the season unfolds, we may need to adjust the crop to a lower level of production. Because we fear over thinning, we usually approach the need incrementally. In the springtime, we use a process called Shoot Positioning to reduce the crop and better position the location of the fruit. Those targets may not have been attained. So now we go to the vineyard, count and weigh clusters, and really try to hone in to actual yields. Further crop reductions usually occur after véraison with the removal of whole clusters or portions of the cluster that may not ripen as early. Uniformity is always the key to the best wines. Crop reduction is a real science, and to elaborate beyond this point might be overkill.
Harvester Maintenance
One of our winter jobs is to go through all our harvest equipment and make repairs on wear items, so that during harvest the process goes as smoothly as possible. When spring arrives, some of that work might have gotten shoved to the back burner. So now is the time when we need to finish the process, as harvest is just around the corner.
I am sure I omitted a number of annual requirements, however we will discuss them later. Until then… cheers!
CELLAR TASKS
Harvest is anticipated to commence in mid to late September (a few weeks behind the average starting date). Nevertheless, there is plenty of prep work to do in the cellar. Below is a glimpse at our Winemaker’s Pre-Harvest Check List:
As most club members are aware, Airfield produces a number of blends. We entered the business in 2005 with a game plan that would eventually result in our diverse portfolio. Today we offer Bordeaux, Rhone, Italian, and Spanish style blends. Because of this emphasis on regional blends, we thought it would be appropriate to periodically review specific regions. In that spirit, we’ve decided to feature our Rhone varietals in the following articles:
The 5 red varietals we grow on the farm are Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise. The white Rhone varietals we produce are Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne. Marcus will be discussing winemaking approaches to these varietals so I will confine my discussion to them from a grower perspective.
Syrah
The first Rhone varietal we planted was Syrah, which we planted in 1996, on our Black Rock site. All of our original Syrah is sourced from the Joseph Phelps clone, the dominate clone in Washington State. In 2008, we planted a Tablas Creek clone, TCVS A. Syrah is a particularly heavily pigmented variety, and this full bodied red has quickly become one of the darlings of the Northwest. Today we are growing 30 acres of Syrah making it by far our largest Rhone planting. Any blend using Syrah will be bolstered by its unique color and dark berry flavors and substantial tannins.
Cinsault
All the other red Rhone varietals were planted in 2006 also on our Black Rock Vineyard site. The Cinsault is planted adjacent to the original Syrah block, and is comprised of two clones 02 and 03. The berry size is somewhat larger than its neighbor, thus giving it a predisposition to over cropping. It tends to produce lighter colored less tannic fruit that usually imparts a spicy element to the blends. I have had a few stand alone Cinsault wines that I considered to be outstanding. Standby, were waiting for the right vintage.
Grenache
Grenache is probably my personal favorite. We planted 3 acres in 2006, making it our second largest planting of a Rhone red variety. The planting consists of two clones, Grenache Noir 03 and a Tablas Creek clone TCVS A. Grenache is a very fruit forward varietal with spicy undertones and lush textures. The variety has rather small clusters consisting of few but rather large berries. The reduced skin to berry ratio, results in lighter pigmented less tannic wines than its big sister Syrah. We have also experienced a challenge establishing this variety in rocky sections of the vineyard.
Mourvedre & Counoise
The 2009 vintage produced two surprises this year. Both the Mourvedre and Counoise were standout wines this past winter. Thus Marcus has earmarked both to be stand alone varietals. Both varieties are very small plantings of just over and under an acre respectively. The Mourvedre consists of a split of a Tablas variety TCVS A and Mourvedre clone 01. The Counoise block is planted in a Tablas TCVS A clone. Both varieties are large clustered making it difficult to avoid over cropping. The smaller canopies that we are currently managing will not support crop loads in excess of 2 tons per acre. Our success in 2009 is due in part to our recognition of that fact.
Viognier
Viognier is the 2nd largest Rhone planting on our farm, and consists of 5 acres. It provides the backbone for our Lightning and Flygirl. It is a highly aromatic variety, delivering strong fruit forward flavors of peach and apricot with over tones of violet. It is a unique grape that has been shown to benefit from blends.
Roussanne & Marsanne
Two of the blending partners for Viognier are Roussanne and Marsanne. We have planted 2 acres of each of these Rhone whites. Roussanne is the most well known of the two, it has moderate acidity with a flavor profile of honey and pear. It has a unique rusty leaf that makes it easily recognized in the vineyard. Marsanne yields flavors honey and spice and offers a linger minerality on the finish. Marsanne always gives the appearance of being in distress when the weather get extremely hot. Don’t trust your eyes with this varietal. Both varieties have tended to be easily over cropped again probably due to smaller canopies.
From my perspective planting these new varieties has been a great learning experience. What I have found is that just tweaking some of our cultural practices can have a drastic effect on fruit quality for specific varieties. I hope this discussion has been of interest to you.
What wines at Airfield are made from Rhone varietals?
The two stars of our Rhone wine program are the Lightning (Viognier/Roussanne/Marsanne) and the Mustang (Syrah/
Grenache/Mourvedre/Cinsault/Counoise). These wines show the harmony that come from blending Rhone region grape
varieties together. In addition, we have begun doing more single varietal Rhone wines. We have future plans to bottle stand alone Reserve Syrah, Mourvedre, Counoise, and Viognier. In my opinion the most versatile of the Rhone red grapes is Syrah. Syrah is used as a blending component in many of our wines and is often my choice for topping barrels in the cellar.
What barrels do you like to use with Rhone wines?
Selecting the right barrels for Rhone wine grapes is definitely an on going quest. With the white varieties I find their greatest strength is the tropical fruit and floral flavors. To enhance this we only use old French oak barrels that do not have much “oak” impact in order to let the natural aromatics of the fruit shine through.
With my red program it is very similar. Syrah can handle new oak but I try to keep it under 20% for most Syrah based wines and it is 40% for my Reserve Syrah program. Syrah works well with American, French, and especially Hungarian Oak.
Do you do anything unique with Rhone grapes during the winemaking process?
The winemaking process for the Rhone’s is very similar to that of our other red wines. However, with the Rhone varieties we are trying to achieve a smooth velvety mouth feel and nice roundness, where as with the Bordeaux varieties we are trying to extract more tannin.
My management of Rhone’s tends to be gentler with the goal of less extraction of tannin. Due to the medium bodied nature of Rhone grapes and less tannin, we typically have these wines in bottle within 12 months. In contrast our Merlot and Cabernet will be bottled after 20-22 months in barrel.
Covering 70,000 hectares (170,000 acres) almost due south of Burgundy are the vineyards of the Rhône Valley. Historically, this valley was an ideal route of travel between the Mediterranean and northern Europe and the Atlantic. The earliest cultivated vines date back to approximately 600 BC. These vines account for roughly 14% of the French wine production.
With over 400 million bottles produced per year, the AOC Côtes du Rhône (encompassing the entire Rhône Valley) is the second largest single appellation region in the world. AOC is a French certification and stands for ‘Appellation d’origine contrôlée’, which translates as “controlled designation of origin”. Within this parent AOC are smaller specified appellations. This region is composed of two very distinct areas, the North & South, which define their separation at the town of Valence. Heavy on red production, Rhône wines are typically rustic and ripe with higher alcohol content than found in most French wines. Wines from both the North and South are often a delightful compliment to foods such as gamey meats infused with French flavors of rosemary and herbs de Provence.
Northern Rhône sits upon steep, terraced lands with vines holding onto granite hillsides. With a continental climate, the Northern area experiences cold winters and warm summers. It is here that some of the most legendary wines are produced, predominantly big, full-bodied, tannic reds and beautiful dry full-bodied whites. Syrah and Viognier are the two most noted grapes in addition to Marsanne and Roussanne. Syrah is the only red grape permitted to be distinctly classified as an AOC wines from the Northern appellations. Viognier is permitted to be co-fermented with Syrah adding color and heightening aromatics.
Traveling south through the region transcends to a Mediterranean climate with broad flattened valley floors, which experience mild winters and exceptionally hot summers, sometimes prone to drought. An extended amount of varietals are grown in the Southern region, approximately 28, however quality is considered to be subpar to the wines produced from the North. As opposed to reds dominated by Syrah of the North, Grenache and Mourvédre play a more powerful role in the Southern wines amongst many other varietals. White varietals include Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, Roussanne, and Marsanne to name a few. These varietals typically produce light to medium bodied fruity wines. The most well known wine from Southern Rhône is the Châteauneuf-du-Papes, which may contain up to 18 varietals in a single bottle.
In order to be classified as a true Rhône, wines must be crafted following a set of established guidelines starting in the vineyard with specifications such as plant spacing, pruning, yield levels, varietals harvest, etc. Several private wineries go outside of the parameters established by the various AOC regulations creating sparkling, fortified wines, altering varietals. Though these wines are not recognized by the AOC, they are often of excellent quality and typically only sold directly from the winery.
With such variance between the North and the South, wines from the Rhône region are an excellent addition to any wine cellar. Southern Rhônes are typically drinkable upon release or within a short period of time, whereas heavier fuller-bodied wines from the north can rest for up to 15 years.
For this newsletter, we decided to interview Airfield Estates owner and wine grape grower, Mike Miller, about harvesting wine grapes with a machine. We know this is a mysterious part of the wine process for a lot of wine drinkers out there and knew that Mike would be able to shed some light on the topic.
How does mechanical grape harvesting work?
In short… A grape harvester is a tall machine that straddles the trellis and uses special fingers (or rods) to shake the grapes off the vine.
For our technical readers….On our farm, we use Korvan Grape Harvesters. Our machines use a set of bow rods placed in close proximity to each other on each side of the fruiting zone. These rods freely float through the canopy as the harvester rolls through the field. The rods oscillate at a fairly high number of beats per minute. Meanwhile, the vines move back and forth in time to the picking rods, and the grape clusters (whose stems have become mature & somewhat brittle) drop toward the vineyard floor.
After the grapes have been shaken off the vine, the fruit lands on a catching tray, is collected by conveyor cups, and then transported to a cross conveyor that sits high at the rear of the machine. As the grapes drop onto the cross conveyor, two large fans pull out all of the light debris (such as leaves).
Then the grapes are transported to the discharge conveyor where they are screened by a third fan and by an inspector, who pulls out any foreign material (such as grape wood).
The fruit continues to move along the conveyor toward a trailer (catch bin) that travels in the row next to the harvester. Before the grapes enter the catch bin, the final screening is performed by a high power magnet, which removes any metal (wire or clips) that may have been caught by the picking rods.
Does it save on labor in the vineyard?
Our machine harvest crew is able to harvest as much as 200 tons in a shift. That crew is composed of 8 people. On the contrary, it typically takes 30 hand pickers to harvest 20 tons in a 10 hour shift. Machine harvesting not only allows us to save on labor costs, but also gives us the opportunity to harvest our fruit in a more timely fashion.
Does machine harvesting damage wine quality?
If grapes are not pressed in a timely manner after mechanical harvest, wine quality may be compromised. We insure that grapes are delivered within an hour of harvest. This is possible because of the close proximity of our vineyard to the winery. Furthermore, in order to mitigate the effects of the harvester, we harvest all of our fruit early in the morning. This means that the fruit is delivered in a chilled state, which helps insure that early fermentation will not be initiated.
What grapes are suitable for machine harvesting?
In general, mechanical harvesting works well for the thicker-skinned grapes (such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon). Thin-skinned grapes (such as Pinot Noir) are more delicate, and the berries pose a greater risk of rupturing and being susceptible to oxidation.
The physical characteristics of the vineyard (such as the type of trellis, space between rows, & the slope) also play a role in determining whether mechanical harvesting is feasible.
Weather is another factor. A formidable weather forecast might encourage mechanical harvesting to get the fruit off the vine in a more timely fashion. On the contrary, the early killing frost of the 2009 season caused us to hand-pick nearly every red varietal. We were concerned that machine harvesting would cause the dry, brittle leaves to become pulverized, be too difficult to remove from the grapes, and cause the wine to take on an undesirable vegetal character.
On our farm, we are fortunate that we have the ability to both machine harvest and hand-pick. This allows us to be more strategic about how we can process grapes in the most efficient and effective manner without compromising quality.
Do grape harvesters miss a lot of the fruit?
I truly believe that a hand crew leaves more fruit in the vineyard then the machine. This has not always been the case. The early harvesters were not as efficient at grape removal. We find that many home winemakers are extremely disappointed when given the opportunity to glean fruit because very little is left behind after the harvesters roll through the vineyard.
How do I get hired as a grape harvester driver? It sounds like fun.
Our entire machine harvest crew is comprised of full-time employees. When we get into the harvest season, everyone has his or her particular expertise. The main job requirements are: (1.) Be dependably early. We traditionally start at midnight. (2.) Good night vision. At least 60% of our grapes are picked before the sun rises. Trying to determine picked from unpicked rows can be difficult, & once the machine enters a row, it can not back up. Some of the rows can be up to ½ mile long. Pulling into the wrong row will result in a few expletives. (3.) Be able to deal w/ sleep deprivation. Universally, no one ever gets enough sleep during harvest. (4.) It is important that each member of our crew have a healthy appetite. Midnight snacks, donuts at break, big country breakfast mid-morning, & lunch breaks after the pick are a rule of order. I’ve always found that harvest can be good for at least 10 pounds.
Spring is here at Airfield Estates! While we are finishing up some bottling in the cellar, we are also beginning to look at the fall and what is around the corner. One of the things I am most proud of at Airfield is our Wine Club. We have the best wine club members in the state and it is an ever expanding group. One of the changes that is around the bend is more wines that are exclusive to club members. Here is a list of club wines I am planning on making and when you can expect them to be ready for bottle.
Viognier (aged in Acacia) – I love experimenting with barrels. So far I have used American, Hungarian, French, and Russian oak barrels. In 2010, I will try something completely new, barrels made from Acacia. The Acacia tree is suppose to be great for barrels. It is toasted very lightly and enhances the fruitiness of the wine. I have penciled in doing 75 cases of Viognier this year in Acacia to see how it works. Fall 2011
Pinot Noir – From everything I’ve been told, making good Pinot Noir is one of the greatest challenges in winemaking. It is a very fickle grape that can crumble if not treated with delicate respect in the cellar. This year we are going to make 75 cases of Pinot Noir from our estate vineyards. Usually this fruit goes into sparkling wine but this year we are going to crop down an acre of vines & see what happens. Fall 2011
Sangiovese – I have felt for the last two years that Sangiovese has the potential to be something special in our vineyards. Finally, I will get to show you. A 100% Sangiovese is just around the corner. 75 cases – Fall 2010
Barbera – This Italian wine has been a challenge to grow. The grape has incredibly high acidity & has been difficult to reign in. I have often said that if I could leave it in barrel for 4 years, it would be a fantastic wine. This year’s Barbara is more in balance. While it will probably be 18 months in barrel, I have high hopes for this wine. Spring 2011
Mourvèdre – With pepper & spice on the nose & a full mouth feel this Mourvèdre will be a very popular wine club wine. 75 cases – Fall 2010
Counoise – Have you ever tried a varietal wine made from Counoise in Washington State? I didn’t think so… If you have please let me know because I am under the impression that we will be releasing the first one. The Counoise is a big hit with the Airfield Estates team and it is a result of their pleading and groveling that I will be making this wine. 75 cases – Fall 2010
In addition, we will continue to make… Malbec – Bottled May 13th, 2010. 210 cases. Dolcetto – Bottled Fall 2010. 125 cases. Zinfandel – Bottled Fall 2010. 75 cases.
With a final destination in mind of the wine country in Mendoza Argentina, Santiago Chile simply happened to be the stopping point in South America as flights from the US were more economical to Santiago than directly to Mendoza. Needing a few days to get acclimated in South America, our intended stay of two days in Chile quickly turned into six as we found ourselves enthralled with the country. We had little expectation that Chile would captivate us in such an intense way.
The culture, the people, the food, the wine, the scenery – all splendid. The wine culture we experienced in Chile was similar to the United States in many ways. The feel and sensations that come from visiting a winery; beautiful buildings, tasting lists, tasting fees, bladder and basket presses and other equipment lingering about, forklifts maneuvering, bottling lines, etc. Fortunately for us, this was the end of the harvest season in South America and the wonderful aromas that linger in a production facility were in abundance.
Due to limited time in the country, we were only able to visit two wine regions, Maipo Valley and the Casablanca Valley. The following lists the highlights from our visit.
MAIPO VALLEY
We started our journeys in the Maipo Valley, which sits at the base of the Andes Mountains, so close it feels as though one could reach out and touch them. Our first stop was Viña Aquitania. We made an appointment, as that is the norm here in Chile and were warmly greeted. Our tour guide kindly showed us to a bench in their gardens and waited patiently for us to eat our empanadas before we began our tour. This being our first introduction to Chilean wine culture we didn’t quite know what to expect. What we quickly discovered was a visit to a Chilean winery was not a quick experience. Several hours later, after a fantastic experience, we scurried over to Cousino Macul where being advised that we did not have time for a “tour” we told the guard at the gate that we were simply there to purchase wine. This too turned out to be a fantastic experience and we realized that our biggest problem was going to be our inability to bring home multiple cases of wine.
The most common varietals grown in the Maipo valley are Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay for the whites, and Carmenere, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds. Sauvignon Blanc was our favorite white. With intense minerality and acidity they had long lingering citrus finishes, pairing beautifully with the ceviche so common and popular to this part of the world. The Cabs were delicious for the reds. With the Carmenere being a bit too fruity for our taste, the Cabs had a delightful balance of the Southern world style of intense fruit yet with enough structure to please our American palates.
CASABLANCA VALLEY
Amongst many other enjoyable parts of our travels, we next made it to the Casablanca Valley, which has an intense Napa/Sonoma vibe. High tasting fees and beautiful facilities flooded route 68. Our first stop was at Morande, where according to their website we thought we could get a quick bite to eat in addition to our tasting. Little did we know that the food would consist of a 5-course meal paired to perfection with each wine. In one of the most breathtaking settings ever, this winery and their phenomenal wines created an exceptional experience. Sauvignon Blanc accompanying ceviche, Syrah paired precisely with lamb, Chardonnay intensifying the flavors of Salmon ravioli, Cabernet Sauvignon lingered over a small filet, all of which was topped off with a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc made to perfection and paired with a ginger infused Crème brûlée. This experience was nothing short of spectacular!
Needing to take some time after indulging in such a fantastic food/wine experience we decided to walk to the Emiliana winery, which we were told was “right next door”. The walk, though quite enjoyable took about 30 minutes. Entering the property we traveled down a long dirt road surrounded on both sides by stunningly manicured vineyards. This winery practices exclusively organic and biodynamic practices, so in addition to the beauty of the vines we saw lavender and roses, llamas and geese, olive trees and an abundance of other plants and animals living in symbiotic relationship. Felipe welcomed us warmly at the door. After quick pleasantries we were quickly brought inside to yet again another phenomenal experience. Beautifully balanced wines, this winery has estate fruit scattered across five Chilean wine valleys including: Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua, and the Bio-Bio. Emiliana produces many stunning wines, however our two favorites were a Chardonnay, Viognier, Marsanne white blend and a Syrah, Mouvedre red blend. The white, as one might suspect by its components was complex and rich with nice palate weight, similar to Airfield’s Lightning. The red was rich, bold and heavy. We actually enjoyed the red so intensely we ordered a bottle of the Syrah, Mouvedre blend at our restaurant with dinner the next evening.
Our final highlight from the Casablanca valley was the Casas del Bosque. This winery was gorgeous. A gated entry led us down a dirt path. Stepping out of our car we were greeted by the first winery dog we had seen on the trip. After registering we were led to a beautiful private tasting room. Casas del Bosque is known for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, both of which held up to their reputations. The Sauvignon Blanc was tremendously complex. Various citrus flavors exploded at various points along the palate. With intense acidity, this wine was a fantastic treat. The Pinot Noir was equally exceptional. Medium bodied, this wine demonstrated smokey flavors with hints of chocolate and vanilla.
The final consensus after our time in Chile was that we had barely tapped the surface of this superb wine region of the world. Departing left us solely with the option that someday soon we would both return. It was a perfect experience and we both crossed our fingers that none of our new treasures would break in our suitcases!
