Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/60007
WINEMAKING said he'd use Assmanhausen or QA23. Cap management for most of the open- top tanks is performed through three pneumatic punch-down devices set on rails. Baker likened the custom-made devices' operation to Cadillacs because they are so smooth. Two small, 3-ton open-tops receive manual punch downs. Baker said they have not done a pump over since the 2009 harvest. For pressing reds, Russi uses a new Carlsen basket press that he describes as his favorite piece of equipment because of the control it gives him during pressing and how easy the press's design makes it to taste during a press run. Below the cellar, barrels are stored in a basement. The original wooden beams support the low roof, but they have been treated with a sealant and an antimicrobial coating. Here, too, Baker said he was confronted with a dank, moldy mess that had to be cleaned out, sandblasted and then restored. New air conditioning keeps the temperature around 58°F, and the basement is primarily used to store barrels of Chardonnay as they go through fermentation. Russi said he lets a small portion (about 10%-20%) go through secondary fermentation, but most are treated with sulfur dioxide when primary is complete and then head to cold storage in the winery's cave system. Digging the cave Baker said that when his family first acquired the property it included an old barn that they thought could serve as a barrelhouse. The barn proved too decrepit to convert, so they tore it down to make way for a parking lot. Opposite the win- ery stood a hillside that presented an ideal entrance for a cave system. The entire cave structure, built by Bacchus Caves, is 8,000 square feet with 6,500 square feet used for storage and the rest for hospitality. Despite being in a cave, the tasting room offers a feeling of open space because of its large, dome- like ceiling. In the main tasting area, a bar is situated along one side of the spacious main entrance hall that also includes couches and chairs in a lounge area. A long banquet table for special events is situated off the tasting area in an adjacent chamber. Baker said the ceiling is from "the luck of being unlucky." The dome appeared not by design but by accident. The tasting area was the scene of a major cave in. "The workers left for the weekend, and Sonoma County on the label. Great wine in the bottle. The journey from wine list or store aisle to purchase gets a lot shorter with 'Sonoma County' on the label. And it's never been easier to get the premium grapes you want, to create the world-class wines people love. Margo Van Staaveren Winemaker, Chateau St Jean Search Sonoma County's online Grape Marketplace for the best grapes around — from chardonnay to zinfandel and practically everything in between. It's easy, fast and you can start right here. SonomaWinegrape.org/marketplace Wines & Vines FeBRUARY 2012 53