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WINEMAKING acidity. "The old vine SB is very cool, less about primary tropical fruit with more austere secondary aromatics and great texture, and there is great natural acidity. It works well with lees contact and some stirring in completely neutral oak." The white Rhone-style wine is a blend Pressing and barrel aging for white wines depends on the vintage conditions. MacGregor admits that during the first vintage at Saracina he became a bit nervous waiting for the native yeast to start fermentation. A few days of waiting turned into more than a week, and the juice just sat there and did nothing. Eventually a thin brown skin formed on the top, followed by some fermentation activity, and then the barrels were off and running and the lot finished. MacGregor said his goal is to make a bone-dry Sauvignon Blanc. Lees contact and stirring is adjusted to match the wine's of Viognier and Roussanne named "The Choir." The percentage of the varieties depends on the vintage. The grapes come from Lakeview Vineyards in Sanel Valley. "The white Rhones we work with, I think, are suited ideally to our growing season: They like the heat of August and don't mind waiting around a little to be picked, late October in some years," MacGregor said. "We seem to be able to get good tex- ture without the oiliness/heavy glycerol that sometimes overwhelms these varietals." Aging in French and American oak The Choir is produced for Saracina's other label Atrea, under which the red "Old Soul" blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Malbec is also sold. Once fermentation is complete, work- ers move the barrels to the winery's cave for storage. Excavated by California Wine Cave, the cave runs 1,400 linear feet. One entrance is near the winery, and another is by the tasting room. Mac- Gregor uses François Frères, Taransaud and Demptos, specifically noting the Demptos three-year, toasted head barrel as a good choice for American oak be- cause of its subtle characteristics. How long the white wines age in bar- rel depends on the vintage. In 2011, the Sauvignon Blanc came in clean and only spent three months in barrel, while in the wildfire year of 2008 MacGregor said he opted to use a Champagne-style press at low pressure with minimal rotations to avoid smoke taint coming through. That wine stayed in barrel for eight months, and MacGregor said the treatment miti- gated any smoke issues. The Pinot Noir goes to bottle prior to harvest of the following vintage. Other reds will stay in oak for 14-18 months. Saracina works with mobile bottlers Halsey Bottling and Mill Creek. The cave's famous choir Near the rear of the cave is an exposed section of Franciscan shale that forms the backdrop for a sculpture display that has become a signature image for Saracina. While on a trip through China, Fetzer and Rock discovered an artist that had Your Vision. Our Expertise. Your wine shipper is a moving billboard for your brand. Don't leave this detail to chance. Ask your glass house for Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging, or call us direct. We are a dedicated high-quality partner, serving the wine industry for over 20 years. Let us take you Beyond the Box. Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging, Inc. longviewfibre.com wine@longfibre.com • 877.734.9321 WINES & VINES DECEMBER 2012 31