November 2011

2011 Harvest has concluded. As the new wines are coming in they need space, which means it's time to move along some of the older wines. Now you know why barrel aging is usually in multiples of 12 months. I am currently dealing with the 2009 vintage wines.

2009 was a near perfect year - sunny, relatively dry, with a long languishing fall. It resulted in very ripe wines of great complexity and depth. I have Estate Syrah, Tempranillo and a field blend (Scavenger's Blend) from our vineyard, and a Cabernet Sauvignon I made from grapes sourced from Rancho Rossa just up the road. These Sonoita wines will be bottled soon and if all goes well, ready for release around New Year 2012.

September 2011

Harvest began early this year when Viognier arrived on August 6, complements of Wine grape grower Melissa Owen from Sasabe. Timing harvest is a complex juggling act – the weather needs to be dry for at least 3 days prior; the grapes must taste ripe and more importantly, like they will produce fantastic wine; the grape clusters need the optimal balance of sugar and acidity; the equipment and supplies need to be in place. Magical forces need to align.  The grapes drive the decision of course. Ripe fruit waits for no woman or man. 

As the grapes mature the sugar increases and the acidity drops. Sugar determines the alcohol level, and acidity drives the experience of the wine in the mouth. Sugar is measured in degrees Brix, which is roughly equal to the percent of grape solids (fruit sugar being the primary solid).  Typically wine yeast will turn each 2 degrees (2%) of Brix into a bit more than1% alcohol.  The classic target for harvest is 23-24 Brix, resulting in roughly 12.5% alcohol – classic Bordeaux. 

July 2011

This has been a busy time bottling wines. It’s hard to believe, but the 2011 vintage is just around the corner and it’s time to make room for it – room for new barrels, room in old but still good barrels for the new wine, room left in our schedules to deal with the coming harvest.

So far this summer our 2009 Syrah and 2009 Zinfandel have migrated out of barrels into bottles. Next up is the 2008 Sangiovese Select. This Sangiovese is 100% Brunello clone with nearly 3 years of barrel aging. It is smooth, rich, nuanced and absolutely delightful. Newly bottled wines need a few months to settle down and recover from the trauma of the bottling process, so look for them to hit the tasting table around New Year 2012.

May 2011

With the white wines all tucked into bottles for our Memorial Day Weekend White Wine Release, I now get to focus on the red wines that have been finishing up in oak barrels.

There is a range of vintages, flavor profiles and grape sources--from a rich and nuanced 2008 Sangiovese (Grosso or Brunello clone) from what was once the Sweet Sunrise Vineyard in Willcox, to a very soft, easy summer drinking 2009 Merlot from Rancho Rossa Vineyard in Sonoita, to the exciting and intense 2009 Estate Tempanillo from our own vineyard. Each wine will be released in its own time between now and the coming autumn.

April 2011

While in the vineyard the month of April is the month to get ready for planting, the action in the winery has been focused on getting some reds bottled. This past month the 2009 Syrah from Willcox and 2009 Merlot from Sonoita that had been resting in bulk storage in stainless steel tanks managed to make their way into bottles. After a few months of bottle aging they will be ready for the tasting room.

April and May is also when the temperatures begin to warm up, which allows the wine in barrels to awaken from their winter slumber. The warmer temperatures also make malolactic fermentation possible, an important step in the barrel aging process that softens the acidic tartness of red wines.

March 2011

The winter after harvest is when the new vintage white wines are traditionally bottled.  That's what happens at Canelo Hills. The line up this year is impressive, although quantities are very limited. Keep on the lookout for Viognier, Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer and Riesling. Memorial Day Weekend will be the release date for these four Arizona White Wines. Just in time for summer.

January 2011

It’s time to get serious about bottling. First in the line up is the 2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Dessert Wine. It’s so intense I can’t believe it. Then, in no particular order, will be the 2009 Zinfandel and 2009 Syrah from Sweet Sunrise Vineyard, the 2009 Merlot from Rancho Rossa, and a fantastic array of 2010 white wines – Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Viognier.

All of these wines are 100% Arizona fruit of course. If only the weather would warm up a bit so we could put the winery's space heaters away.

More details on the White Wine line-up are on our blog if you click here.

Previous Years'
Notes:

2010

2009

2008

2007