Airfield Estates wants to wish all a very Happy Holiday season. As the cold has declared itself here, we hope that you will all find warmth and comfort through the season with friends and family, and remind you that a little wine never hurt either!
With seasonal festivities rolling right along, Airfield Estates joins the hussle and bussle as the final crop has made it’s way into the cellar, and barreled and tanked wines continue to ferment beautifully. Listen below as winemaker Marcus Miller discusses the Rielsing crop which will produce this year’s late harvest, and learn from the rising Sommelier Mike Miller as he provides a lesson or two on nose and pallet nuances right from the barrel.
Harvest 2008 culminates with a mad dash to the finish here at Airfield Estates Winery, with the final clusters of grapes finding their way to the crush pad today, and well into the night, (with the exception of the late harvest…if there is any to be had this year!) Five red varieties were harvested today making the trek from the vines to the cellar. These varieties included: Cinsault, Counoise, Syrah, Mouvedre, and Barbera.
Cinsault is a Rhone style variety wine grape. Left to itself, Cinsault has a tendency to produce high yields, yet lack flavor. However, if the yields are properly managed to lower levels, the wine can have a strong perfumed aroma with flavors of strawberry and vanilla. It is used to brighten the fruit flavors of a blend and also tone down harsh tannins. Airfield Cinsault was planted in 2006. The vines were planted in cobbles and rocky soil, with a 5% slope and a Westerly orientation.
Counoise is also a Rhone variety, though it may have originated in Spain. It provides flavors of licorice and spice providing good tannins and a full palate. The variety is similar to Grenache without the floral notes. Airfield’s block is planted in a SW orientation on a 4 to 5% slope.
Syrah another Rhone varietal, generally exemplifies deep color with flavors of black currant and blackberry and subtle hints of black pepper and licorice. Syrah will form the backbone of our Rhone blend. Most of Airfield’s Syrah is located on the J Block, which is one of our warmer, most frost-free sites. The earliest plantings date back to 1997 and more recent plantings occurred in 2002 and 2008. Airfield Syrah is wonderfully balanced fruit.
Mouvedre is a thick-skinned red grape with flavors of cherry, blackberry, and violet. In Spain it is referred to as Monastrell, and in California and Australia it sometimes goes by Mataro. Having originated in Spain, this Rhone variety craves the heat, however, it is somewhat sensitive to drought. In the South of France and in Australia, it is often blended with Grenache and Syrah. Airfield Estates Mouvedre was planted in 2006, in shallow, rocky soil, with a SW orientation, and on a 5 to 6% slope.
Barbera is an Italian red grape found primarily in the Piedmont region. It is Italy’s second most widely planted red variety, after Sangiovese. It produces full-bodied, crisp wines that are high in acid and low in tannin levels. Barbera exhibits an attractive aroma of red fruit, currants, and blackberries and is enhanced by oak aging with notes of vanilla and toast. Airfield Estates Barbera was recently planted in 2006. The vines have a SW orientation. We plan to blend our Barbera with other Italian varieties.
Listen below as Marcus gives his final send off blog to this year’s harvest.
As you saw from the large assortment of barrels in the video, Marcus and his crew still have their work cut out for them. After ordering an additional 172 barrels, and realizing they are still 40 sort, there is still much work to be done in the cellar. The exciting news is based upon the fruit that has come in, and the fermentation that has begun, it looks to be a stellar year. Get ready for some great tasting wines to come from this year’s vintage and hit Airfield Estates’ bottles in the months ahead. Thanks for joining us!
The festivities are brewing here at Airfield Estates, with dogs dressed as ladybugs, two Mike Millers prancing about, and our winemaker’s clothes on backwards.
Lots of action is happening in the cellar as Harvest continues on. About 15.5 tons of Cabernet were brought in this morning. The Cabernet has spent it’s day travelling from the crusher to the destemmer. After it’s travels are over, the Cabernet will find itself in fermentation tanks. These tanks have recently been emptied due to Merlot being transported to barrel yesterday, and Syrah finding it’s way to the plastic poly containers this afternoon.
With a jam packed evening ahead of them, the cellar guys will not be free to go out and about gathering treats this Halloween evening. Watch below to see clips from the day at the winery and get some quality advice from winemaker Marcus.
The bustle of harvest continues on, here at Airfield Estates Winery as the cellar gets fuller by the day, placing the current focus on the barrels.
Cooperage, the art of barrel making, done by a cooper, is an ancient skill.
With technological advancements, it is surprising to learn that the actual barrel making process has changed very little. White Oak, the typical wood used in barrel making, is known for it’s toughness while still demonstrating great bendability. This allows the barrels to be stable during dry shrinkage and wet swelling.
Swelling of the barrels is today’s hot topic as fermented wines are ready to be transported from plastic poly containers to oak.
Come along and listen as Owner & Grape Grower Mike Miller provides information on various equipment and harvest processes, and gain further barrel insight as Winemaker Marcus Miller elaborates on the latest Harvest events.
Harvest is in full swing here at Airfield Estates. With the first rush of grapes through the cellar doors, the crew is gearing up for peak #2. With most of the whites in, Winemaker Marcus Miller and crew are counting on Mother Nature to care for the remaining fruit on the vines until it’s brought in. As Marcus discusses in the video, with only so much space in the cellar, harvest of the remaining grapes takes great strategy at this point in the game, to ensure quality and avoid loss. Listen below to updates from harvest 2008 and catch a glimpse of reality as Marcus talks about the life of a winemaker.
Thanks to all of you who participated in Airfield Estates 2nd Annual Grape Stomp festivities! This year we stomped a total of 5 tons of grapes- 4 tons of Syrah and 1 ton of Grenache. The day was beautiful as the sun shone bright through the crisp air. The festivities included delicious treats from Diane’s Market Kitchen, Apres Vin, Chukar Cherries, and musical accompaniment by seasoned musician Clarence Werdon. Winemaker Marcus Miller also led several Winemaker 101 sessions to aspiring novice vintners. Watch our video below to see clips from the days events.
Foot-Stomped 2008 Syrah will be available in April 2009. This year’s blend will consist of 80% Syrah, 20% Grenache. Early sales for the 2008 blend will be available soon through our online store.
After a long couple of weeks pulling many late nights, Airfield Estates is back and ready to share the latest harvest happenings. Despite this years harvest being a bit later than last, Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers expects a record yield. This forecast appears no different for Airfield Estates, as things have shifted into high gear.
With all of the whites in except Riesling and Marsanne, the focus has shifted to the reds. Merlot hit the cellar today, proving to be as consistent as ever. Merlot is a Bordeaux variety. It is one of the most heavily planted varieties in the state of WA. Airfield’s block, planted in 1996, consistently produces top quality fruit offering flavors of currant, blackberry, and plum, with notes of clove and peppercorn. Winemaker Marcus Miller believes this years crop may just be the best yet. Listen below as Marcus discusses today’s events
Though a late harvest can raise nerves as season’s changes become a greater risk factor, there is tremendous potential as well as the fruit obtains better acidity and bolder color. Stay tuned for more harvest news and updates as the early mornings and late nights continue on here at Airfield Estates.
Anticipating and preparing for Mother Nature led Winemaker Marcus Miller and Grape Grower Mike Miller to the decision of harvesting and crushing Roussanne and Semillon varieties at Airfield Estates on Oct. 2nd, 2008.
Roussanne is a Rhone style, late ripening variety which is often blended with Marsanne. The Roussanne variety can be temperamental at worst and outstanding at best. Great care and attention must be given to this variety both on the vine and during the Winemaking process. At its peak performance Roussanne adds aromatics, elegance and acidity with the potential to age and further develop in the bottle. This year Airfield Estates may blend the Roussanne harvest with Marsanne and Viognier.
Semillon is a thin-skinned grape often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Both varieties originated in Bordeaux. Sauvignon acidity is often used to coax fuller flavors to life from the Semillon. Though often blended for added balance, this years Semillon juice is tasting so good it may just find itself bottled alone as a single varietal.
Listen below as Winemaker and Grape Grower elaborate on the day:
Stay tuned, we’ll keep you posted as the harvest continues to come off the vine. Next week may bring news of Pinot Gris, Merlot, and possibly Chardonnay.
To make high quality wine, the grapes must be picked at the optimum time. However, determining when to pick the grapes is not always an easy task. Common indicators of ripeness are the grapes’ sugar levels (measured in Brix) and acid levels (measured in pH and TA). Other vineyard indicators are flavor development, color, soft berries, brown seeds, and a clean pedicel.
The following video clip shows Airfield Estates winemaker, Marcus Miller, testing for sugar and acid levels:
Based on the results of these tests in conjuction with his anaylsis in the vineyard, Marcus plans to harvest Chardonnay, Dolcetto, and Semillon this week.
