There is a great deal of “hidden wine making” going on these days. Too bad full disclosure is not SOP.

Jay

I just listened to that interview again and was reminded of what a great job Jay does there at Grape Radio.

Regarding ‘non-traditional’ techniques; in most vintages we don’t need to make any adjustments to alcohol levels with the spinning cone and when we do it is only a small amount of press wine. In years where ripeness comes after the sugar is over 24.8 brix (our ideal target), we have several options of which most quality pinot noir producers use.

The option that I don’t like is picking when the fruit tastes green. The other alternative to not adjusting the alcohol is wine that is way out of balance and becomes more so with bottle aging. If you like pinot noir that tastes like Syrah that’s fine. However, the overripe and high alcohol pinot noirs lose all their varietal character.

I would be happy to open bottles of our older vintages with you so you can see how beautifully the wines age and how intensely aromatic they become. You can taste the fruit and smell the aromatics because the alcohol is in the ideal range of 13.5 to 14.2. Additionally, I don’t top with Syrah or blend other varietals in to beef up the wine. It may get higher points with certain critics but the wine won’t taste like classic pinot noir. In a perfect world with a perfect climate every year, we would just add yeast and it would result in perfect wine. Then we would just call it wine-happening rather than wine making.

Cheers!

Dan Tudor

Eric

I can’t believe that there’s not a 1,000 comments on this episode. Even if it just another podcast on pinot noir. First of all I respect Mr. Tudor for ADMITTING the use of non-traditional winemaking practices, i.e. spinning cones technique. Most people don’t realize that close to 20% of all California wines are treated in this way. But in NO way are these “Traditional Burgundian” winemaking techniques.

De-alcoholization, in my opinion is a nice way to avoid a larger tax burden, but I see it as the “Doping of the Wine World.” If you want a “balanced wine” then start with balanced grapes. What’s next adding flavor packets of cinamon, anise or roasted lamb cubes? De-alcoholization may be here to stay, but I just don’t get it. I guess wine is just becoming a commodity.

I didn’t think I could listen through another round of Pinotcasts but I have. I found part one very interesting as there is always something new to learn from history and each new tidbit adds to the geek factor. Part two is more of a rehash of California Pinot producers and I am only really writing as I believe you were baiting your listeners with Dan Tudor of Tudor Wines.

I don’t know where to start and I really had to check the date to make sure this wasn’t an April 1st show. Just a few points, “wine is undrinkable without sulfur dioxide.” “We add water because the grapes are dried out when we pick them.” “Our wines are balanced”.

I know this falls under “fair and balanced” “for educational and entertainment purposes only” but I felt like I was listening to Ben Stein. Ok, I took the bait.