We had a great night last night at a benefit for MSforward, physical training and fitness for folks living with Multiple Sclerosis. Today we’re pouring at Omaha Wine Company.

Fermentation bin

Here’s a few photos from press a few days ago. For those keeping score, we got about 300 gals or ultimately ~ 120 cases.

Fermented dry and ready for the press

in to the press

free run juice

Winemaker Cary Gott tries the juice

Match Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Butterdragon Hill 2008
92 points | $63 | 314 cases made | Red
An engagingly complex wine that combines firmness with supple textural notes, this is full-bodied and centered on ripe plum, blackberry, tar, smoke and espresso. Gains depth and holds its focus. Drink now through 2022.—J.L. (Wine Spectator Magazine Insider 11/2/11)

Cool.

If it was easy, everyone would do it.  Farming can be a real test of nerves.  The fruit looks good at Baconbrook but the brix is still a tad low and the flavors are not there yet.  The vines also look to be starting to shut down.  What to do?  The next 5-7 days promise unsettled weather with two storms coming through.  However, long rang forecast shows clearing and warming.  Good!  We’ll need that weather to dry things out and finish ripening both of our vineyards.

My prediction right now is we’ll harvest Baconbrook the week of October 10th with Butterdragon following 5-7 days later.

All the email offers for 2008 Baconbrook have gone out.  If you didn’t get an email, one of the following apply:

• You’re on our list, but we don’t have a working email address for you.
• Our painstakingly written email inadvertently ended up in your Junk email folder.
• You are waiting for the right moment to join our list.  That time is now.

The solution to any one of these problems is located right here.

Winemaker Cary Gott walked Baconbrook this morning:

“I took a small sample this am from the east vineyard blk.

Hard to believe but 21.4 brix. Grapes in great shape. With this heat they should get a bit of water.

The fruit tastes very immature.

Brix checked with two refractometers.”

We dodged a bullet today.  I got a call from a neighbor that there was a fire at Baconbrook.  Fortunately the temperature was only about 80, there was virtually no wind, and Cal Fire was able to hit it and hit it hard with a tanker, two helicopters, and numerous trucks and personnel.  They got it out with less than an acre of wild land burned and no damage to the house, vineyard, or the neighbors (in whose direction it was headed).

The suspicion is the fire started after some teenagers snuck on the property and were partying.