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WINEMAKING turned old clay fermentation vessels into figurines by turning them upside down and adding long metal necks and round, metal heads. At first glance the sculpture beneath a half dome of stone resembles a line of bowling pins. A closer look, however, reveals the figures' faces, many of which are contorted, mouths open in what could be song, laughter or screams. Fetzer and Rock were treated to a perfor- mance in which the Chinese artist had timed lights to illuminate certain figurines dur- ing a performance of Handel's "Messiah." Enthralled by the performance, the couple purchased a set of the statues for the wine cave, where the choir stands in the middle of a silent and somewhat eerie performance. The art is one of the most visible embel- lishments to the winery built by Fetzer. He said the sculpture is part of the theme for the winery, which he had designed in a blend of Asian and Italian styles. The Chinese wine vessels helped pique his interest in using the clay fermentation tanks and barrels. MacGregor said he's eager to show the quality of Mendocino County's grapes and is lucky to have the resources and commit- ment behind the winemaking to help make TECHNICAL REVIEW Winemaking based in antiquity S aracina purchased its first clay fermen- tation tanks in 2010. Winemaker Alex MacGregor has been experimenting with them, but as of yet no wine fermented in clay has been offered for sale by Saracina. "We want to do it properly," MacGregor said. So far the clay has generated some prom- ising results. MacGregor fermented the same Chardonnay in stainless, neutral barrels and clay. While the clay did win out by taste, the wine had a slight hue. The winemaker said the Chardonnay fermented cooler and slow, but any real textural differences didn't ap- pear until after five months on the lees. Saracina has two large, 500-gallon fer- mentors and smaller, open-top clay tanks about half that size. The clay vessels look similar to large water main pipes, which is not that surprising because they're made by Mission Clay, a clay pipe manufacturer based in the Southwest. Once MacGregor has worked out the best use for the fermentors, he plans to bury a few of the large tanks into the side of a hill next to the winery. Valve openings near the bottom of the tank will protrude from the hill and be accessible for rack- ing. The larger tanks are closed with con- crete lids sealed with beeswax. A 2011 Syrah is aging in one clay tank as well as in barrels. MacGregor admits the 2011 Syrah has been a bit challenging, but the clay has been tasting better than the oak. He's also bringing in 60-gallon clay "barrels" to ferment Roussanne. The wine could either be a single release or a ma- jor component to the winery's white Rhone blend "The Choir." A.A. 32 WINES & VINES DECEMBER 2012