Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66137
Wines & Vines: You've been using Flash Détente for your Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon at Villa San-Juliette. Why did you decide to use it, and what have the results been? Adam LaZarre: It made sense to me for a few reasons: First, our vineyard is in a neighborhood (San Miguel, on the east side of the Paso Robles AVA) that requires a considerable amount of leaf shading to protect against sunburn. I don't have the luxury of repeated cool seasons to allow for the amount of hang time required to consistently beat the pyrazines out with ultraviolet rays. As I'm sure your readers already know from your previous articles on the equipment, Flash Détente removes virtually all traces of the compound through the process. And in a particularly cool year like 2010, when extreme levels of pyrazines were present at harvest, this process would've been particularly valuable, especially from the reports I'm hearing from my friends up on the North Coast. Which leads me to another benefit: With Flash Détente, I can comfortably pick the grapes at lower sugars so that I can avoid the costly process of de-alcing down the road, if necessary. Flash only CALIFORNIA Monterey San Francisco Napa CALIFORNIA Fresno Pacific Ocean Villa San-Juliette Paso Robles Hearst Ranch Winery Santa Maria LaZarre Wines Lompoc NV WINEMAKING I did speak recently to a winemaker costs us somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 per gallon, on top of standard crushing fees. I'm still of the old-school belief that lower alcohols with concen- tration still produce better-flavored and better-structured wines. Of course, in the world I live in, anything below 15% is considered lower alcohol. We do every- thing possible to reach balance through viticultural processes, but having this pro- cess available to us allows for consistency on a year-to-year basis, which is pretty important if you are trying to achieve the miracle of brand loyalty. from a large, very successful winery in Lodi who suggested (and I agree) that this process can revolutionize winemak- ing in regions like the Central Valley, Paso Robles and other regions with hot days and large diurnal swings. We utilize Monterey Wine Co.'s equipment up in King City, but I understand there is a machine up in the Lodi area, too. I've heard they cost around $1 million. I'm hoping the laws of physics can be violated just enough so that they can produce a tabletop model. W&V: The flash process also creates steam that goes into a condenser. (That steam contains the pyrazine compounds.) I assume you're discarding the conden- sate because of the pyrazines, but are you replacing it with water? LaZarre: We leave out about 4% to 5%, based on the concentration of flavors in the grape. I figure we are going to bleed off a percentage anyway, so why not do it at the point of process? W&V: You're using Pulsair on a number of your wines. Why, and what have the results been? LaZarre: For those unfamiliar, the process is quite simple. Several vents are WORLD-CLASS CRAFTSMANSHIP PLUS LEADING-EDGE SCIENCE. IT ALL ADDS UP TO BARREL 21. Come see how our on-site lab and technologically advanced cooperage is redefining quality. Contact Barrel 21 today to arrange a tour of our Benicia, California facility. Learn more at www.barrel21.com. 531 Stone Road, Benicia, CA 94510 707.746.5704 TEL • 707.746.7471 FAX www.barrel21.com Wines & Vines JULY 2011 39