5-18-10 **VIDEO INCLUDED**

SIPHONING

JEN MAKES SODIUM METABISULPHITE

ADDING THE SULPHITES

AARON TOPPING THE BARREL

JEN TOPPING A BARREL

LABELING DATES ON BARRELS

KING OF THE WORLD

TASTING, IT'S HARD WORK

SHE COMES IN COLORS EVERYWHERE


Today we headed back to the warehouse to do more work, what with the lingering rains tapering off and the vineyard still moist. While Le Vin has always used organic grapes in their wines, only recently did they start bottling and aging wines using no added sulphites. However, there are several barrels in their storage facility that were made before the big switch, (starting in 2007) so today, we added some sulphites before topping off. Sulphites again, are a preservative and act as an antiseptic. First we concocted a mixture using 200 grams of sodium metabisulphite with 2 liters of water. Then we poured 110 ml into each barrel and thoroughly stirred it up. This mixture will assure the wine keeps.

Topping wine is something we didn't know much about until today. Over time, a small percentage of wine in a barrel escapes or evaporates, and it needs to be added back. Oxygen is harmful to aging wine, so it's critical the barrel remains as close to 100% full as possible. We had carboys of merlot that we siphoned into small plastic jugs. We then used the small jugs to transfer the merlot into the barrels that needed topping off. After topping off, we used chalk to write on the barrels today's date. This is so you can look at the barrels and easily see when they were each topped off. If it has been a few months, time to top off again.

It was fun work siphoning and climbing, but most importantly, tasting. If you add wine that has oxidized or gone bad as your topping wine, you can potentially ruin an entire barrel. And like Aaron's wine making days in the past, the last step in wine making is always, always, mopping up the mess you've made.

Before we go, check this out:

HARVESTING SPRING ASPARAGUS