David Coffaro Vineyard and
        Winery

arrow August 21 - August 27, 2016

Sunday August 21, 2016

I read a quote recently and I have to find where........."As we get older we think more about the past". I can now agree I am thinking about the past but until the last few years I rarely thought back. I have always been a person to think ahead. I assume since I am old now, 73, I may think more about the past since I have many more things to say, like Billy, still not ready.

We are pressing the 2016 Pinot tomorrow after one week since Harvest. I think we are the only winery who has pressed Red wine in Sonoma County. As a matter of fact we pressed DC Fusion last week, a red wine, lighter in alcohol. We also have an advantage by fermenting hot and thus in one week............

The owner next store called me today. In 1979, I met him on the first day in my vineyard so we have seen a lot in 37 years. I was 36 and I think he was 18 or 20. John Teldeschi is a fine guy. He told me today as the landlord to Hila and Tall, he will ask them to do the right thing about the dogs. Long story, read last several weeks if interested

Of course I was upset the Raiders lost to the Packers in pre-season and regular for I have to guess 20 times, OK not maybe that many in a row!! I have to be a Packer fan because of Bryan, since Kate likes Bryan and I guess I have to confess, the Packers are a good team and I will root for them, only if they do not go against the Raiders, 49ers and Seattle................

Wednesday August 24, 2016

We just did several sugar tests. The one in the newer Zinfandel vines South of block 5 came in at 22.3. This section is going to be sold to another winery. The shocking samples came from our old vines. At first we did a sample from Block One which goes into our Block 4 field blend. With half from raisins and half from regular looking bunches, the reading was 29.5%. I told Catarino and Martha to go out again and pick only from large vines and the reading came in at 24.7, wow.

The other section we checked was from our 3rd Block Zinfandel which usually goes into our 100% Zinfandel wine. The first reading, half bunches with raisins and half regular looking bunches, came in at 27.9%. The second check with just large vines and no raisins came in at 26.2. This is very surprising!! We have decided to pick some fruit tomorrow from the 3rd block, about two tons. I will instruct them to leave any red bunches but while walking through this morning, I saw few red bunches. In the past I know you never know what will come in the first pick so we will see.......

Thursday August 25, 2016

Like I said yesterday after the sugar tests, they were surprising and I alluded to the fact they were high for a normal year, but I have said, in my 38th year there has never been a normal year so that is what makes Harvest Special.

We did harvest 2.9 tons of Zinfandel from our old vines in block 3. Yesterday we took a few samples and got over 26 sugar. We want about 25 so we needed to try out and pick some of the fruit today. I wanted to try out a batch with a lower sugar level because Zinfandel bunches are complicated and in an individual bunch the berries can range for 20 to 40+ sugar.

So not a surprise the first load usually comes in lower than expected but interesting so we can now find out what the acid is. Josh is in to more tests but to me in this vineyard, ph is what I look for. TODAY........The sugar samples!!!! ssssoooo much fun. Yesterday, Catarino came in with samples not lower that 26 so I saw one 26 brix, and everyone after were lower. I did even see a 22.9% sugar. We want 25+!!!! But most readings were in the 23+ but many still in the high 24's and many 25+. I suspect we will have over 25 tomorrow after swell up, but I have been wrong on an early harvest. This is the 5th early harvest for 3rd block, maybe. I will check tomorrow.........., maybe.......... I want to be cautious as usual so we will wait. We will try again in this Block 3 on next Wednesday. The weather forcast is for below normal temperatures, like 85 to 90 here after some fog. We usually get 90-95........It will be so interesting to see the ph and Josh will do a total acid content. Also we have to see what the malic level is......long story




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