Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/62522
Paul Franson Wines & Vines’ senior correspondent researched this month’s Technical Review article (page 26) at one of Napa Valley’s newest and most unusual wineries, Hunnicutt. Created as a small custom-crush operation, Hunnicutt does most of its winemaking operations in a cave, so its permitting, construction and equipping needs were not standard. Franson writes that the owner, Justin Hunnicutt Stephens, found that digging and finishing the cave was half the cost of a conventional building— not to mention the savings in energy for cooling and heating. Laurie Daniel In her regular Q&A format, Laurie Daniel this month questions long-time grapegrower Mark Pisoni (page 36), who is carrying on his family’s agricultural legacy in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Pisoni talks about the challenge of managing three different vineyards located in distinct microclimates. Pisoni takes a hands-on approach to tending the vines and works closely with his winemaking clients to grow high-quality grapes. One of these clients helped convince Pisoni to work toward having his vineyards certified in a sustainability program. That process, Pisoni says, helped him learn more about his own vineyards and control erosion. Clark Smith In his Postmodern Winemaking column (page 46), Smith takes a broad view on a subject with which he is intimately familiar—elevated alcohol levels in table wines. Smith, founder of the California-based wine processing company Vinovation, was a pioneer in alcohol removal (and other transformations) using new technology. While the related issues of extended hang time, higher alcohol levels and ratings from critics are hardly new ones, Smith puts them all into perspective as no on else could. December’s Cover Wind Dessication: When cool, wet springs have winegrape growers begging for heat and sun, vine water stress is usually the last thing on their minds. This was the case in the Horse Heaven Hills of Washington during July 2011. Following a wetter-than-normal spring, a wind storm caused vines to dry out faster than they could uptake water. Because of the sudden onset of such conditions, the plants were not appropriately acclimated. The destruction is evident in this month’s cover photo, taken by Michelle M. Moyer, Washington State University assistant professor and viticulture extension specialist. Read about how organizers of the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium plan to address growing grapes in adverse weather starting on page 24.