Kramer Vineyards Blog

Each vintage is a learning experience. Sometimes we learn by setting up experiments, and sometimes the lessons are dictated by the conditions of the growing season. If the circumstances are right in 2012, these are some of the winemaking techniques we hope to test:

• Skin contact in white wines
  In 2006 we produced a reserve Chardonnay that had incredible texture. Trudy Kramer had some extra dry ice on the crush pad, so she decided to destem 1.5 tons of fruit and layer in dry ice. The grapes rested overnight, and were pressed the next day. As a result, they had higher press yields, more aroma and flavor, and the wonderful aforementioned texture in the finished wine. This is a technique we’d like to revisit in 2012, perhaps with other varieties, such as Müller-Thurgau or Pinot Gris.
• Whole cluster fermentation
  We’ve enjoyed some stellar library wines over the past year. Many of these were Pinot noirs from the early 90s that are aging very, very well. In trying to uncover the secret of these wines, Trudy Kramer revealed that their pre-2000 Pinots incorporated some whole clusters into the fermentation. They abandoned this practice after 2000 due to the heavy tannins in the 1998 vintage (which is aging beautifully, btw). Our winemaking has changed a great deal since the 90s, so it might be worth exploring the impact of whole clusters and stems in the fermenter once again.
• Continue trials with native yeast
  We set up a small trial of native fermentations during the last harvest. Initially, our intention was to identify the strain or strains of indigenous yeast so we could best manage a native fermentation in Pinot Noir. Identification may not be possible, but we can still experiment with native fermentation management, both in red and white wines. Our results last year were mixed; in 2012 we’re looking for consistent, clean fermentations.

The last two vintages have made experimentation difficult. First, yields have been low. One of the benefits of having more fruit available is that if an experiment fails, the loss is small. We haven’t had the luxury of abundant crop levels since 2009. Second, the last two years have been cool and late, with higher acidity and tannin levels. The composition of the fruit has compelled us to handle it as gently as possible. Putting dry ice in direct contact with the grapes seemed too heavy handed, as did including stems in a vintage where tannin levels were high already.

At a time of year when folks are making resolutions about how they’d like to improve their own lives, we discuss the ways that we’d like to improve our wines. Of course, we may have to adjust this list depending on what type of vintage 2012 turns out to be. That’s the exciting part, getting to know each vintage as it unfolds.

As winemakers, we have the choice to ferment our wines with native or cultured yeasts. Grapes or juice will eventually ferment on native yeasts, also known as ambient, wild, indigenous, or natural yeasts. The source of these yeasts is still a matter of debate, however recent studies from New Zealand have connected native yeasts to the soil where the grapes were grown. As our focus is to produce estate wines that express variety, vineyard, and vintage, fermenting our wines with native yeasts seems to make sense. We have experimented with native fermentations in the past, but the results were inconsistent. Thus, we have primarily used cultured yeasts in our winemaking. Cultured yeasts are strains that have been isolated and reproduced in laboratories and sold in winemaking stores. These yeasts yield more predictable results because their environmental and nutritional requirements are better understood, leading to healthy, complete fermentations.

However, the desire to utilize our native yeasts persists, and when our molecular microbiologist friend offered to analyze and attempt to identify our dominant native strain, we were eager to set up an experiment. We sampled Pinot Noir from three blocks: Heritage, East Main, and Cardiac Hill. Destemmed grapes were removed from the fermenter during the cold soak and placed into three sterilized buckets, one for each block. The buckets were covered and placed in the barrel room to ferment. At the end of fermentation, a sample was taken from each bucket for analysis. Here are the results:

From this analysis we can observe that there is one dominant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae present in all three samples (as shown by the recurring series of dark bars above). The identity of this common strain is a mystery, however. As is the case with any DNA test, we can only match up this strain against our library of known yeast strains. Unless or until we find that strain, the identity of our dominant strain remains elusive. Even if we do identify this strain, will it reappear in future vintages?

From a quality perspective, the results are similarly puzzling. The native fermentations from East Main and Cardiac Hill showed nail polish aromas throughout the entire fermentation. These two fermentations started without difficulty, but fermentation temperatures remained low throughout. The Heritage, however, showed no signs of activity until the must was heated slightly. This application of heat stimulated the yeast, and the aromas were much more characteristic of Pinot Noir, and free of faults, such as volatile acidity or sulfides. Perhaps the organisms producing the nail polish aromas are heat sensitive and it is necessary to heat the must slightly to avoid this fault.

So it seems we are left with more questions than answers. To follow up, we will conduct more native yeast experiments in 2012: an analysis to determine if our dominant yeast strain of 2011 reappears, and a post-cold soak warming of the must to initiate fermentation and (hopefully) discourage the production of volatile acidity. In the meantime, we’ll build up the yeast database, and attempt to identify our native dominant strain.

Once again, a cool and wet spring set the events of our record-breaking late vintage in motion. Bud break was the latest in our history, May 7. We typically see this stage of growth by April 15. More cool weather followed, giving the vines little hope of catching up. Consequently, our vineyard was through 50% bloom by July 10^th. However, due to below average temperatures, and a few days of rain, fruit set was delayed and spotty. By then it was clear we were going to be harvesting in late October.

Facing another late October harvest, we thinned more aggressively in 2011 than in previous late vintages, primarily because vintage 2010 was so fresh in our minds. We thinned everything down to one cluster per shoot, except for the Müller-Thurgau, which was thinned to two clusters per shoot. We strictly adhered to our fertilization and pest control protocols to promote ripening and deter mold, mildew, birds, and deer from destroying our small crop.

Summer temperatures were well below average. We experienced a late-summer heat wave in early September during veraison. However, the first two weeks of October were cool and drizzly. We didn’t experience significant rainfall at that time, but the precipitation was enough to dampen some spirits here in the valley, leading to much speculation regarding harvest quality and/or quantity. The rain ended, and last 3 weeks of the growing season were fantastic, with warm, sunny afternoons and cool, crisp evenings. Despite the lateness of the harvest, birds weren’t nearly as problematic this year and mildew pressure was low.

The first fruit harvested was Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for the sparkling wines on October 18. We also harvested a small block of Müller-Thurgau on a nearby hillside. The rest of the grapes were harvested between October 25 and November 2, according to ripeness, finishing with the Rebecca’s block Pinot Noir and the Carmine. Although we have harvested grapes later than November 2, this is the latest we’ve ever harvested Pinot Noir. We thought we were done with receiving fruit at that time, but as luck would have it, we had the opportunity to purchase three tons of Barbera from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, harvested on November 5. Yields were up over 2010 and 2008, but below average for a vineyard of our size.

Fruit Received in Tons

*Purchased grapes

The fruit came in remarkably clean, especially in late October, but more vigorous hand sorting was required going into November, as botrytis became increasingly prevalent. Once we harvested, gentle handling for both whites and reds was necessary—hand harvesting, sorting, light pressing, etc.

Cool evening temperatures delayed the onset of fermentation in all of the wines. This lengthened the cold soaks in the Pinot Noirs to nearly 10 days. Once fermentation began in the reds, the lower ambient temperatures worked in our favor, keeping peak fermentation temperatures low—our highest recorded cap temperature was 86 degrees.

We finished pressing the red fermenters on November 18, and had all the wines barreled down for the winter on November 23. Once the wines are aging in a barrel or tank, harvest activity is over. Thus, the harvest of 2011 was complete the day before Thanksgiving, and we have much to be thankful for this year.

This cluster of chardonnay is representative of what we’re seeing in the vineyard right now. We’ve thinned everything except for the Müller-Thurgau to one cluster per shoot. The remaining clusters are quite large and at or near bunch closure. There are a few shot berries here–tiny green berries that will never fully develop. The cluster architecture this year is reminiscent of what we observed in 2008, although we’re thinning more aggressively due to the lateness of the vintage.

The clusters in the Heritage block Pinot Noir are very close to bunch closure this week. In other words, the berries are nearly large enough that there is no space between them, and the stem is no longer visible. Notice how the clusters are exposed. This is because we removed the leaves in the fruiting zone to expose the clusters to more sunlight. Leaf removal also helps prevent disease, by allowing more air flow around the grapes.

We are seeing excellent fruit set in the vineyard this year. This photo, taken August 1 in the Rebecca’s block, has the heaviest crop of all the Pinot Noir. In the coming weeks, we will remove more than half of these clusters, keeping the most mature to fully ripen.

What is it about a big, heavy wine bottle that we find so attractive? Perhaps it is because of how the bottle feels in our hands—elegant, substantial, and weighty while emanating luxury and quality. The seductive long, narrow neck and wide base look impressive and expensive on a dining table.

As nice looking as they are, heavier bottles, particularly the ones for Pinot Noir, have their drawbacks. They are often too large to fit in most wine storage shelves, except for those made for magnums or champagne. Heavy glass is also more expensive to purchase and ship, especially if the bottles are coming from overseas. The consumer bears this cost also. If the wine is shipped, heavier bottles lead to higher shipping fees.

The biggest problem with a heavy bottle is the larger carbon footprint. In February 2010, we attended the annual Oregon Wine Industry Symposium, where sustainability was discussed at length. One of the speakers presented a chart of the components that comprise a winery’s carbon footprint. Wine bottles accounted for nearly half! That was a huge moment for us. We realized if we are truly committed to sustainability, that we had to make a change in the type of glass we use. After all, the weight of the bottle doesn’t make the wine taste any better. The problem was that up until recently, lighter weight glass bottles were an inferior product.

During the symposium, we discovered the Eco Series by Saint-Gobain. These bottles are lighter, weighing 480 grams or less–47-20% less than the glass we were using at the time. They look similar to other heavier bottles on the market, except that the punt is not as deep. Furthermore, the bottles are manufactured in the Pacific Northwest, at a plant in Seattle. All of our 2009 wines will be in these new bottles, except for the Müller-Thurgau and sparkling wines. The Müller-Thurgau is in a lightweight hock bottle, weighing less than 600 grams. The sparkling wines are in the same traditional green Champagne bottle (880 grams), but unlike with the other wines, this glass is heavier to withstand pressure. We’ve read about efforts to lighten sparkling glass, but are unaware of any products that are currently available.

We’ve been bottling our wines in the Eco Series glass for nearly a year. Initially, we were concerned that bottling our reserve wines in lighter bottles didn’t make sense. However, now that we’ve become accustomed to them, it’s the heavier bottles that seem out of place. For us, what once seemed the norm now seems excessive, and our perspective on this issue has changed entirely.

We are often amazed when we travel to other wine producing regions how local wines seem to dominate in the marketplace. Small bistros to fine dining restaurants feature locally made wines on their lists; corner stores and grocers proudly display wines from the nearest AVA with farm-fresh produce. Sampling these locally grown wines with the locally grown food greatly enhances the travel experience, giving each place a unique flavor. We believe that should also be the case here in Oregon, where so many wonderful wines are grown, and support of local family farms is strong.

Perhaps the small production of most Oregon wineries (fewer than 5000 cases) makes local representation a challenge. However, we believe any extra effort is worthwhile. We are truly fortunate here in Oregon to have such a plethora of local agricultural products available to us. Maybe this is why the locavore movement is so well established here. For reasons of sustainability and quality of life, it makes sense to support the local farmer. This philosophy should extend to wine also—after all, wine is the product of farming.

While we’ve been trying to get out this message for years, our voice is not nearly as powerful as yours. Recently, a store in Eugene started carrying our wines because a customer asked them to. The lesson here is this: if you want to see more Oregon wines at the places you dine and shop, ask for them.

Rosé is criminally overlooked and under-appreciated. It is one of our favorites to order in a restaurant or bring to a gathering because it pairs harmoniously with many types of cuisine. Sadly, rosé is often not an everyday type of wine, but instead relegated to summer picnics and barbecues.

The versatility of rosé was the most obvious to me in France. My Burgundian hosts served rosé at lunch every day, and poured it throughout the meal. The bright fruit, silky texture, bold acidity, and lower alcohol seemed to pair with everything from charcuterie to green salad to sausages. Sparkling rosé, or Cremant de Bourgogne de Rosé was often served with salted nuts or chips or as an aperitif.

We decided to feature rosé for Side-by-Side Sundays in February to demonstrate that rosé isn’t a simple summer wine. These are wines that ought to be enjoyed all year, any day of the week. Rosé can be dry, off-dry, sparkling or still. Taste all three of our rosé wines in the tasting room, or order our Rosé 3-pack ($49, includes shipping) and host your own rosé tasting.

Side-by-Sundays this month are 2/6, 2/13, and 2/20.

In the tasting room, people often ask us about how the vines cope in times of snow, frost, or freezing rain. During the winter months, the vines are dormant. Cold weather has little effect on the plants in our growing region due to the cold hardiness of the varietals grown and relatively mild winters. However, there are exceptions. In 1989, most of our Chardonnay was lost due to very cold temperatures (-1⁰F to 3⁰F). What made this cold event particularly damaging was that it occurred after a period of above average temperatures, and the sap had started to run. “It was as if a circle was cut in the center of the Chardonnay vineyard,” recalls Trudy. The center of the Chardonnay was effected more because that was the warmest part of the vineyard. The damage didn’t last, and a healthy crop of grapes was harvested the following year.