Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/766392
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW January 2017 WINES&VINES 107 zero sulfur to our pet nats. We do not use any riddling agents. Our wine is made of grapes, just grapes. Each bottle is different and truly authentic. 2016 will be our eighth vintage making a pet nat and the sixth vintage for Lily's Cuvée. We continue to refine and experiment. We have also experimented with other varietals. In 2013 we made a Merlot pet nat (Kraisey). In 2015, we made both Clairette (Blanche) and Pinot Gris. These will be released to our wine club during the holidays with an experi- mental version of Lily's. Our Clairette and Pinot Gris are enchanting but for a more ad- venturous palate. Over the years we have improved our pro- duction methods. For example, we have dis- covered that bidules, which are placed under the cap to help capture some of the sediment, and the correct tools make disgorging by hand much easier. I would like to try a disgorging line at some point. Q You've tried making wines with no sul- fur but, for the most part, your ap- proach is to use minimal sulfur. Please explain your approach. Would you consider trying to make no-sulfur-added wine again? Brandt: SO 2 is a very useful tool and the second ingredient we use—only grapes and SO 2 . Low SO 2 protects the wine from oxida- tion at bottling and for travel, in our minds. We typically use less than 50 ppm (parts per million) total, and the SO 2 is added in two doses before bottling. (As mentioned, we do make our pet nats without adding sulfur.) www.acobuildingdrainage.com 877.959.5346 ACO is committed to delivering ultimate hygienic drainage performance to the wine industry, with stainless steel drainage products that focus on health and safety, cost management and food & beverage safety. DRAINAGE MANAGEMENT FOR THE WINE INDUSTRY ACO BUILDING DRAINAGE RECORDED WEBINAR AVAILABLE Drainage Matters Protect your customers and your brand by preventing food contamination Watch now at: acobuildingdrainage.us/2016-07-webinar 415 293 5700 | BARARCH.COM W I N E R I E S C L U B H O U S E S R E S O R T S C U S T O M H O M E S S T A R M O N T W I N E R Y N A P A , C A Jared Brandt helps move clusters of Syrah from Mendocino Ridge toward the hopper at his Donkey & Goat winery. Most of his red wines are at least partly whole-cluster fermented.