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48 W i n e s & V i n e s J U n e 2 0 1 4 tion tanks and receives SO 2 . After 24 hours, yeast is added, and cold fermenta- tion takes about three weeks, with tem- perature monitors by Refrigeration Technology Inc. keeping the fermentation at a steady 50°-55°F. A Paul Mueller Porta-tank is used for post-fermentation holding of white wines, freeing up fer- mentation tank space for the red wines. All skins, seeds and stems are composted and returned to the vineyard. Winery water for wash-downs is on a fast-recharge Phoenix heater, with a com- pressor made by Ingersoll Rand. Drains in the cave floors carry it to two sets of set- tling tanks and an underground leach field. One cold tank most recently held a new Sauternes-style wine from the 2013 vin- tage, a Pinot Gris/Sauvignon Blanc blend with the Pinot Gris fermented off-dry to about 1° Brix. The cold tank was used to stop fermentation by cooling to 34°F, also dropping out the tartrates, with the wine ready to bottle in February 2014 and release in April. The Pinot Noir goes into a Delta E2 destemmer, then to four 2-ton JVNW open-top fermentors, with fermentation lasting about seven days at 85°F. Manual punch downs are performed three times daily. All Pinot Noir undergoes malolactic fermentation with Viniflora Oenos. "With a brand new vineyard and with- out a track record with the fruit, we went with a proven wine yeast," Vita says. "As we develop a history with the vineyard, we will try some native yeast fermentations." If tank space permits and Vita thinks the vintage will make a good rosé, some juice is bled off the skins for this purpose. The Pinot Noir is always picked and fermented clone-by-clone, then blended (Hunter's Cuvee, Holman Ranch Estate Pinot Noir) or bottled singly for the Hol- man Clonal program, or in single-vine- yard offerings (Heather's Hill Pinot Noir). Also due to the abundant 2013 vintage, the winery is experimenting with a Port- like wine made from its Pinot Noir. The dessert wine, from four clones of late-har- vest 2013 Pinot Noir, was fortified with 170-proof Cognac and is aging in three Tonnellerie François Frères and Tonnel- lerie de Mercurey barrels until its planned release in 2015. Barrel time Vita and Elliott use all French oak since their goal is to make white and red wines in the Burgundian style. Their 100 barrels are all medium toast, and favorite barrels include Tonnellerie Rousseau's Piano, Mercurey and François Frères. Elliott considers oak to be neutral after only two vintages. Chardonnay is the only white variety to get barrel time, just three months in first-year barrels. Most of the Pinots get 50% new first-year oak, the rest are in second-year or neutral oak, The small laboratory at Holman Ranch also is located inside the caves. (Continued from page 33) DAILY WINE INDUSTRY NEWS winesandvines.com G R A P E G R O W I N G W I N E M A K I N G TECHNICAL REVIEW