Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/498427
94 WINES&VINES May 2015 WINEMAKING WINE EAST previous year for Chardonnay. He filters the wine only once, just prior to bottling. Merwarth follows his "hands-off " winemaking with a sterile crossflow filtration of 0.3-0.35 microns, using a machine from Pall. Merwarth noted, "I have trialed that to the Nth Degree: no filter, minimal pad and crossflow, and I always go back to crossflow. It gives a level of clarity—not visual, but a focus to the wine." Using crossflow allows him to filter 2,000-2,500 liters of Cab- ernet Franc per hour, but not without some attention. Merwarth tastes during the entire filtration to determine what will be used in his regular or reserve cuvée, or relegated to a blend. As far as aging in bottles, "We've gotten into a very nice pattern now," he said. The 2004 vintage required time to soften, was cellared and not released until after the 2005 and 2006 vintages were introduced. Since then, they have been able to sell vintages "one off," as he called it—that is, 2010 wine in 2012, and the 2012 vintage beginning in late 2014. That particularly ripe vintage allowed them to age the 2011 for longer development. The optimal situation would allow the winery to sell wines "two or three off " with the vin- tage being three or four years older than the current calendar year. The last two vintages, cooler while growing and colder in the winter, have shown more color and complexity, but not heaviness. Mer- warth said, "Something that we've been work- ing on is how do you get away from just happy red fruit—strawberries, raspberries and cher- ries—all very simple flavors that you should be able to show regardless of vintage. To go to another level, how do you get into those earth tones and non-fruit tones?" This leads him to state, "I'm still evolving with how much wood do I give? How much barrel or tank time does it need? How much bottle age should it have?" Answering these questions will allow him to present the wine as a true expression of their careful work in the vineyards. "In our cool climate, I don't believe you should do a wine in only good vintages," he said. "I don't think that moves us forward." Even in "off" vintages, the need exists to make wine that people will buy. Merwarth believes that the winery is finding customers respon- sive to different vintages and the style differ- ences a cool climate region will provide. One key is the inherent quality of wines from each vintage, not one style or another. Another key for an individual winery or region is a track record that can provide customers with the confidence to enjoy the wines. He added, "As a region we still have to find our way. Our region can't stand on the shoulders of being like somewhere else." Although Finger Lakes wineries have been producing vinifera wines for more than 40 years, its own regional style has yet to be de- fined. It will only evolve following many more vintages to come. While Riesling may be the region's first wine to set a standard for regional character, Cabernet Franc has a good start on following suit. WE Ray Pompilio has been writing about the Finger Lakes wine industry for more than 25 years. He lives in Ithaca, N.Y. Winery Design, Operation, Consulting Learn more at www.PLANTRA.com to Jump Start your new planting 800-951-3806 ©2013 Plantra, Inc. "Paper or Plantra®" The choice is yours! Cover with a carton or Jump Start the whole planting! New Vine or Orchard Tree Checklist Jump Start Grow Tubes Paper Cartons Mini-greenhouse blocks wind without blocking optimal sunlight P NO Uniform growth and full height reduce training trips P NO Multi-year weed spray protection P NO Assistant winemaker Dillon Buckley draws a barrel sample at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard.