Since our inception in 2012, the Paso Robles CAB Collective has striven to promote the full potential of the Paso Robles AVA in producing superior red Bordeaux wines, largely thanks to the generous support from our sponsors. Today we’re giving a shout out to one of those sponsors: Filipponi & Thompson Drilling, Inc., a locally owned and operated company with deep roots on the Central Coast.
Guest blog from ITek Wine and the Sylvain Laboratory
” A good cooper must understand the wine maker’s problems and be able to provide appropriate solutions.”
Don’t look for lab tables or test tubes; in this research laboratory the star is wood. We could imagine that it was simply a barrel workshop, but it is here that tests are made to explore all the potentialities of the wood and their impact on the wine, depending on the grape varieties used and the feature we are looking for.
Vintners in Paso Robles are concentrating on the smallest of details in their vineyards, even as the quantity of red Bordeaux varieties planted in the AVA reaches new heights. Claiming more than 50% of the Paso Robles AVA’s 40,000 acres, red Bordeaux varietals from the region have proven their merit on the world stage, but with the spotlight now on the area, winemakers are challenged to continue to reach new heights. Recognizing that quality often rests in the details, the winemakers of the Paso Robles CAB (Cabernet and Bordeaux) Collective (PRCC) continue to raise the bar as they seek perfection in the elusive 100-point wine.
Guest blog from Niner Wine Estates:
The beginning of September turned what was lining up to be a perfectly normal vintage into a challenging one after Mother Nature threw us a serious curveball. Heavy rains in the early season and mild weather throughout the summer had us prepared for a ‘normal’ vintage after lower than average yields in 2015 and a very early start to harvest in 2016. What caused the change-up? During the last week of August a massive heat wave rolled through the Central Coast (we haven’t seen one like this in 8 years) and we saw some scattered rain showers.
With it being Summer, it is definitely a time for enjoying the sun, but as we know too much sun can lead to a dependence on aloe vera and cold packs. This is true for grapes, the sun is an
imperative part of grape development, but too much can lead to issues. Grapes depend on the sun for photosynthesis to occur, but too much heat and sun can lead to sun burns, excessive sugar, and lack of acidity. This can result in unbalanced wines with high alcohol. The flip side of this applies as well…too little heat can prompt high acidity and a lack of sugar. Sugar is a necessary part of fermentation in the wine process. As you can see, there needs to be a balance, like in everything, for grape development to be successful and lead to deliciously, balanced wines.
