Showing posts with label Week 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week 1. Show all posts

Saturday, August 13, 2016

An Introduction to Turkovich Family Wines

Turkovich Family Wines
An Introduction 



The Button & Turkovich Vineyard
Planted in 2007, the Button & Turkovich Estate Vineyard is home to 20 acres of winegrapes surrounded by rich agricultural land and soaked in the warm California sun.

Expanses of golden rolling hills are dotted with patches of green — oak trees and vineyards — and are tucked in against the Vaca Mountains. The great gravelly-clay-loam soils, along with warm days and temperate nights, allow the vines to produce excellent grapes. The Winters area features a unique convergence: where the delta breezes cease, they are met by cool winds sweeping down off Lake Berryessa, allowing for a long, mild growing season.

The vineyard’s ideal conditions make for rich fruit exhibiting bright, flavorful characteristics in the resulting wines.

Rhone varieties Syrah and Viognier have proven themselves to be the stars of the show, along with the Spanish varietal Tempranillo and California’s workhorse, Petite Sirah. Grenache and Mourvedre are also showing immense potential. ~Turkovichfamilywines

History, as told by the family:
The Turkovich Family started in Winters in 1957 when Tony's father Walt and mother Helen decided in mid life that they wanted to farm instead of run a gas station in Richmond, California. They bought some acreage in Winters and after several years when their prune orchard was mature, the family moved to the farm in 1961. Tony was active in the Winters school system and worked for his father and other agricultural operations. He went to Cal Poly, SLO in agricultural engineering, graduated and got a MBA at USC before coming back to Winters and began working for Robert and Martha Button to help manage their farming operation.  Tony has been farming in partnership as Button & Turkovich for 35 years-they farm row crops (processing tomatoes, alfalfa, sunflower, vineseeds), orchards (prunes and oranges) and now wine grapes. 

Chris is the middle boy in the Turkovich family.  He attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, like the rest of his family, and holds a degree in Wine & Viticulture. Chris has worked at some of the world’s most prestigious  wineries.  This list includes Veramonte in Chile, Chapel Hill Winery in Australia, and Kim Crawford in New Zealand.  He has also worked more locally at Edna Valley Vineyards in San Luis Obispo and RH Phillips in the Dunnigan Hills.  This exposure to various regions and grape varieties allows Chris to bring a truly unique flair to his winemaking style. His responsibilities include working on the Button & Turkovich Ranch as a field supervisor and vineyard manager as well as making wine alongside his wife for Turkovich Family Wines. His hobbies include traveling, hunting, running, skiing, cycling and participating in triathlons.

Luciana was born and raised in Argentina’s famous wine region, Mendoza. She has a rich history of wine in her family. Her mother operates her family’s small vineyard and her father, Norberto Moreno, has been a successful Winemaker for the last 45 years. Luciana graduated in 2010 in Food Science with a specialization in Wine, Wine Microbiology and Chemistry from the oldest enological university in all of the Americas, the University of Don Bosco in Mendoza, Argentina. Luciana has had the opportunity to work with a number of prestigious wineries in Argentina, including: Chandon Mendoza, Clos de los Sietes, Terrazas, La Septima, Mumm Mendoza, Bodegas Bianchi, Navarro Correas, and San Telmo. In 2009 she worked for Coreole Vineyards, a small family owned winery in MacLaren Vale, South Australia. Following her stint down under, Luciana moved to California to work for Silver Oak. In the early stages of Turkovich Family Wines, Luciana split her time between Napa and Winters, helping to establish the young winery with her husband, Chris.  In 2012, she left Silver Oak to focus on Turkovich Family Wines full-time. Currently, Luciana is the head winemaker for Turkovich Family Wines where she focuses on crafting the best wines possible in Winters’ unique terroir.



Visiting the Tasting Room

304 Railroad Ave, Winters, CA 95694
Phone: (530) 795-3842
Hours:
Wine Tasting 11am-5pm DAILY
Food & Flights 5pm-9pm Thursday – Saturday


With the warm Mediterranean climate, this area of California is key for growing perfumed and hypnotic Spanish and Rhône varieties. Lake Berryessa is just a stone's throw away, and is vital to keeping the vineyards cool at night in order to help with the slow ripening which helps the grapes retain their acidity.
Atmosphere: Everything in this tasting room is meant to cater to the senses; the colors of the room are visually stunning, the textures of the fabrics on the lounge chairs are as velvety as the body of their Syrah. The attention to detail with decoration mimics the attention given with the quality of wine and the many layers each bottle possesses; just when you think you've see it all or 'picked out all the aromas in your glass' you discover something new. 
Service: Turkovich takes pride in educating and having well educated staff; from the pouring of the wine, to the presentation and story behind each glass. I found myself impressed time and time again and lucky to be apart of this winery's harvest.  
Tasting Tools: Great large engraved glasses. Spit buckets handy. Water nearby. Bread sticks. Great lighting.
Wine Availability: Sold at the tasting room, their website, Whole Foods and a number of other supermarkets in Davis and other nearby cities. 
Cost: Complementary tasting.
Picnic Prospects: Beautifully decorated outside area with patio sofas, plenty of throw pillows and umbrellas for shade.





Besides wine the Turkovich family also makes cheese!












Albarino 2015,  ALC 13.2%
352 Cases Produced
Expressive of its terroir, but also a wonderful example of this variety being done right in another country besides Spain.
I can just get lost in the intense aromas of pineapple, flowers, and stone fruit the nose presents on this wine. 
For the body I got a dry, medium + refreshing acidity, medium body, and a medium + flavor intensity of ripe lemon, and orange zest. Medium zesty finish.

Roussanne 2014
148 cases produced
This white presented a unique nose of grassiness, hay, herbs, citrus, minerality, and a touch of savory notes.
The body was dry, medium acidity, medium body, and a medium intensity of flavors of citrus fruits, citrus pith, and whispers of grassy notes. Medium citrus finish. 

Estate White Blend 2015,  ALC 14%
151 Cases Produced
Aged in 85% new American puncheon
39% Roussanne, 35% Chardonnay, 26% Viognier
I am in love with this wine! The nose hypnotized me with its aromas of honeysuckle, vanilla bean, and ripe citrus fruits.
On the palate I got a medium + body, medium + balanced acidity, and a medium + flavor intensity of flavors of citrus, flowers, sweet nuts, and hints of vanilla.


Chardonnay 2015, ALC14%
497 Cases Produced
Aged in 27% new American puncheon
Nose: Butter, sweet cream, and ripe citrus fruits, papaya on the back notes, then I'm left with slight tinges of dried mangoes and flowers.
Palate: Dry, silky medium + body, medium acidity, and a powerhouse of flavors of lemon cream pie, grapefruit, juicy orange and orange zest. The citrus and spice finish lingers on and on!


Tempranillo 2014
98% Tempranillo 2% Tannat
18 months in 33% new American & French Oak
Nose of dried red currant, black cherry, leather and heavy notes of toasty vanilla.
A beautiful silky medium body, medium + tannins, and a medium + acidity to balance it out. This is a fruit forward red with a hint of spice!  Flavors of ripe red berries, such as cranberry and cherry danced on my palate, leaving me with a medium finish.

Tannat 2014
98% Tannat 2% Syrah
18 months in 35% new American oak barrels
Deep black berries, and five spice take the nose on an adventure.
Medium through and through for the palate, and the flavors mirror the nose.

GSM ( 33% Syrah, 38% Grenache, 29% Mourvedre) 2014,  ALC 14.2%
Oak Ageing: 37% New American & European Oak
The nose on this was insane! Vibrant red berries, plum, and perfumed floral notes.
On the palate I got a lush medium body, soft medium tannins, medium acidity, and flavors of black berries, tobacco, and savory notes to finish off with. 


 
Mourvedre 2014
96% Mourvedre 4% Syrah
18 months in 27% new American oak
Imagine eating a red berry pie in the middle of a forest and these are the scents you get on the nose of this red!
Off-dry, medium body, medium soft tannins, and a medium acidity accompanied by flavors of candied cranberry, chocolate, and juicy cherry.


The Boss 2014
71% Petite Sirah, 10% Syrah, 7% Tannat, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
18 months in 38% New American & European Oak
Medium + intensity on the nose of dark plum, macerated blackberry, chocolate  flakes, and chalk in the background.  
Palate: Off-dry, full body, high grippy tannins, medium + mouthwatering acidity, and a medium + intensity of flavors of ripe black plum, cherry jam, black pepper and a medium finish.




Rosé Sparkling Extra Brut
159 Cases Produced
Blend: Tempranillo & Grenache
Light nose of tart red berries, and hints of citrus.
The dry palate has a beautiful mousse feel for the bubbles, medium - body, medium acidity, and a medium - flavor intensity of tart red fruits, ripe grapefruit, and slight hints of dried rose petals.
Medium + citrus finish.


Syrah!!!
This is something I was looking for before I even started looking for it!
(Syrah95% -Viognier 5%) 2014,  ALC 14.1%
452 Cases Aged 18 months in 35% New American & French Oak
I was in awe with the nose of this wine! The aromas of blackberry, slight hints of dark chocolate shavings, forest floor, vanilla, and dried roses will leave you craving for more.

The palate was dry but juicy, medium + body, medium + grippy tannins, so let this red breath a bit! Medium acidity and a medium + flavor intensity of flavors of black cherry, black berry, and sweet pipe tobacco met with black pepper.  I was left with a medium + toasty black fruit finish. 

Monday, August 8, 2016

Working Wine Harvest 2016 California

Turkovich Wine Harvest 2016
A Weekly Adventure of Working a Wine Harvest
A Rite of Passage for a Wino




Week 1 

Training
Before any of the actual cellar and harvest work started there was a two day training; things covered during training consisted of electrical use and safety, pumps, hoses, valves and connection, safety equipment, sanitation area, water use, air compressor, destemmer, press, reds and white wines (protocols and equipment), barrel sanitation, chemicals and gasses such as (caustic soda, citric acid, PAA (PerAceticAcid), nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and KMBS (Potassium Meta Bi Sulfate). 



Day 1
I arrived at the winery early, so I luckily got to follow the winemaker Luciana Turkovich, around the vineyards to cut and gather some grape clusters in order to see how far along the grapes were as far as Brix levels and pH, and if they were almost ready for harvest.
Frolicking around the vineyards...well not actually, there are ways/techniques for collecting clusters for a better sample of the grapes to bring back to the lab for analysis.
 As the winemaker and I walked the vineyard, we skipped a few rows at a time and began collecting clusters again. Going from one side of the row to the other collecting the same amount of clusters in order increase the accuracy of total samples. We continued this through several pairs of rows!

 Why not just pick a few clusters and be done with it?
 Well...collecting throughout the entire vineyard block is important to do if the block varies significantly in soils, typography, or other factors that may affect vine growth.
Random one may call it, and to me, I thought we were randomly picking clusters, but nothing is as it seems and when one is an intern...ask! ask tons of questions and learn! 



On this trip we were collecting clusters from the Albariño blocks. 







This is where the wine making magic happens, the cellar and wine making facility.  




Stainless steel tanks where fermentation is going to take place soon.



The room of wooden barrels where previous vintages are maturing; some in neutral barrels, and some not....allowing the wine to soak up toasty goodness. 







The lab
July 28th 




The first day after training, grapes still weren't ready, so what to do?
Top barrels off from last year's vintage!
Before the winery decides to top anything off they need to check the pH and SO2 levels in the wine, this needs to be done in order to understand how much sulfur needs to be added to the maturing wine.
Why is it important to add SO2? Protection of course! You don't want your wine smelling of rank Sherry or bruised apples do you?

"Sulfur dioxide plays two important roles.
Firstly, it is an anti-microbial agent, and as such is used to help curtail the growth of undesirable fault producing yeasts and bacteria. Secondly, it acts as an antioxidant, safeguarding the wine's fruit integrity and protecting it against browning." ~The Aroma Dictionary 

"Well if it's so good, why not add bucket loads of the stuff?
 As with most things, it does have its downsides. When present in excess, it can cause a healthy ferment to stop before the yeast has converted all the grape sugar to alcohol. Furthermore, as the bacteria responsible for malolactic fermentation are particularly sensitive to SO2, excessive amounts will almost certainly block its onset. This lack of resistance to SO2 by malolactic bacteria can be very handy when a winemaker is attempting to make a wine that does not benefit from malo, such as a crisp fruity Riesling or a Rose´. However, malo is a defining component of the style of most full bodied dry white, and nearly all red wines. Therefore, having excessive SO2 present at the time when malo would normally occur is particularly undesirable.
When SO2 is greatly in excess, it can also produce a pungent aroma in white wines, considered by most to be a fault. The aroma is best described as that of a match that has just been struck. Many people have trouble smelling the sulfurous aroma of SO2, but instead perceive it as a irritation of the membranes of the nose. High SO2 can also render the palate of the wine harsh, metallic and frequently bitter." ~SO2 Edu.

Checking the pH levels in the maturing wine



Test for current sulfur dioxide S02 levels in the ageing wine. 




Maturing Viognier being tested for its' SO2 levels.


Now that we know how much sulfur needs to be added to the maturing wine to protect it from oxidization and microorganisms, we can get started on topping. 

 Barrels, barrels, and more barrels! The majority of these are full and needed to be topped off, which equals a lot of skilled forklift work getting barrels down and around.





 Sulfur stirring




Siphoning, defined as the flow of liquids through tubes, or for me...accidentally drinking wine by force! But it must be done! In order to move wine from barrels to kegs, which means easy transportation when moving around the cellar and topping off the many barrels of wine present here.






Topping: less oxygen means less oxidization
In ageing barrels wine evaporates, which leaves surface area in the barrels, filling up the barrel reduces the surface area. If there is any free surface area, oxygen can interact with the rest of the wine and put the wine at risk of oxidization; topping up these barrels is the best way to minimize oxygen exposure. 



After that there is always more work to do in the cellar .......
Turkovich Family Wines makes one of a kind etched bottles.
What to do when there is a bit of free time? Gas, fill and cork these bottles so they are ready for purchase in the tasting room.












Aug. 1st 
A custom crush wine has come in!
A nearby vineyard, Taber Ranch, brought in their grapes and has entrusted Turkovich Family Wines with making their wine.




First day of working the wine press for the custom crush Sauvignon Blanc.
These grapes are going in whole cluster which means no destemming.

Whole Cluster Pressing?
Entire grape bunches are pressed very gently to extract the juice. This minimizes the amount of harsh malic acid and astringent tannins that naturally exist in the skins, seeds and stems.

Working the bladder press:
The wine is pressed by inflating the balloon (bladder) to a certain PSI (pounds per square inch) for a certain amount of time. The higher the PSI, the more the wine will be pressed.  The winemaker here prefers this press over others because you get a gentler press. A gentler press prevents the seeds from cracking which can give off unwanted flavors in wine. 



Roll Cage: To break up the cake
Air: To inflate the bladder to press the wine
Vac: To deflate the bladder, and roll the cage again



The how to




Grapes going into the press





Adding enzymes to the wine while in the pressing period helps the pulp/juice to better release from its' skins; more juice=more wine! 





Grape Pomace: 
The left over skins, stems, and solid remains left over after the full clusters have been pressed. 




 Lab:(°Bx)
Checking Brix levels in grapes to see if they are ready to harvest.....
When measuring the Brix must levels in wine grapes we are measuring the sugar in the must, this then determines how much alcohol a wine will have. 






Brix Secrets from Wine Folly




Checking pH on grape must is a way to measure ripeness in relation to acidity.
Low pH = crisp and tart taste
Higher pH = possibly susceptible to bacterial growth

Winefolly Understanding Acidity 









Aug. 2nd 

Sanitizing Tanks to Get Ready for Harvest Wine
Getting everything ready, hooking up the hoses, and running through the procedure for sanitizing these vats is no joke! It's hard work, your arms will burn from the constant workout, and your back will be tired from the bending over. Keep fit, eat healthy, get adequate rest, and make sure to stretch! Your body will thank you for it. 













Aug. 3rd 
Racking custom crush white (Sauvignon Blanc)

This is the first racking of the custom crush wine; the reason for racking is to get the juice off its' sediment which is also considered natural filtration. When fermentation starts the wine will eventually be racked again, but of course some lees will be left which are great for the aromatics in this wine and also for the mouth feel and nutrients. 



We want the clear juice flowing through.




The juice is becoming a little cloudy, so we are almost to the lees, sediment, and gunk we want to rack off.

We are finished! The stuff that sits on the bottom of the tank needs to be racked off and disposed of.




Aug. 4th
1st Day of Harvest

Destemming
Grape clusters go in, the grapes are gently pulled away from their stems, and grapes and juice come out.
Some winemakers keep small fragments of the stems to increase tannin in the wine; stems can also act as little channels to help juice find its way out of the berry.




This is a serious arm workout! Three varieties (Chardonnay, Viognier, and Alicante Bouchet) came in this day, so my arms were feeling it.



Out comes the stems


No more stems, we are left with grapes and juice.



 Working the Wine Press


Grapes being pressed turns into juice, which is pumped into tanks inside the cellar.



The stems have been removed so there is a lot more free run juice to begin with compared to a full cluster press.


Viognier: The Gummy Bears of Wine
These pesky little grapes are a bit hard to deal with when going through the pressing process; the pulp and skins of Viognier stick together like glue, making it hard for the pulp to release from its' skins. Rice wholes, picture below, are added to the destemmed grapes which help create little channels in order to help the juice find its' way out of the berry during pressing.




Rice Wholes
Rice Wholes
The last destemming and pressing of the day, Alicante Bouschet! A variety that not only gives off color from its' skins, but also from its' pulp!