Vintages of Daniels Creek Winery
Grapes were harvested on October 10, 1997 and were delivered to Western Avenue behind Pike Place Market the following day. My son and I (Moe) joined my Northern California teacher (Curley) my other friend (Larry) with empty primary fermentation buckets. The Grower had already crushed the Cabernet grapes and filled the buckets fron the top of his flatbed truck. The Three Stooges shared about 100 pounds of grapes each which, when splashed from a flatbed truck, looks more like 20 gallons of grape juice - heavy on the grapes. We proceeded to drive home to our respective houses and added our own various yeast strains. Mine was a generic red wine yeast from Red Star Yeast Corporation. In about 2 days active fermentation began and I stirred the bubling bucket once or twice a day. This being the first vintage in my career left me with more questions than answers. I took very little notes but recall that I did add some French oak to one glass carboy containing 5 gallons of wine and American Oak to the other. My friend stooge (Larry) added Home Depot oak in the two by four flavor. Larry and I bottled in May of 1998 and sipped my Northern California (Curley) teacher's 1995 Cabernet and were very impressed with what 2 years will do to a wine.
The American Oak wine was definitely more fizzy and oakier than the French soaked wine. I called it Three Stoogies Oaky Smokey and did improve with age. Last bottle drunk was in year 2000. The French Oak was more refined and fruity. It tasted more eligant and therefore deserved a better name, something earthy and holistic, thus Daniels Creek name was born. The Daniels Creek Cabernet only lasted to year 2000 but by the year 2000 I prefered the now matured Oaky Smokey.
The grapes were harvested from Sagemoor Vineyards on October 6th and driven to Fitz Auto Parts in Woodinville the following day. The process is simple. Get in line, pay for the remainder of the grapes, take a number. When your number is called you are directed to a spot ont he parking lot. As you stand at your spot a forklift operator delivers your bin with 500 pounds of grapes. Your job is to remove the grapes, return the bin and go on your merry way to make wine. The day was cold to begin with, the type of day that all winemakers relish. It's this early Autumn cold that makes the grapes shoot up in sugar and provide you with the promise of a great vintage. NCT and I unloaded the grapes into the same buckets that caught the juice fromt he flatbed truck three years earlier. We returned to the Daniels Creek Winery Estate and began to crush the grapes. A step we missed out on last time. After the crush was complete, we once again parted our separate ways to add our own yeast cultures and begin the process of crafting our 2000 vintage.
Winemaking notes are better for this vintage.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.092
Brix 23
TA .86
Yeast used was XXXXX
Date Bottled — June 8, 2001 — 4 cases
In August of 2001, NCT and I were contemplating a move into an area neither of has ventured into. That of making a white wine. NCT had about 8 cases of his 2000 Cabernet so he was set with red wine for a year or two. We were still letting our 2000 age and did not realize the beauty of that vintage, so we thought a early maturing 2001 white would compliment the growing reserves we both had visions of obtaining. Once again, the conservative vintner that I am, decided to make a Semillon vintage and a Sauvignon Blanc. My NCT decided to go with straight Chenin Blanc. Why I don't know, you'll have to visit his website for his musings if he ever creates one.
Because we were both experimenting with smaller batches, WWAWA was not an option in purchasing the grapes. We decided to purchase from a local beer and winemaking shop, Mountain Homebrew which allowed us to purchase in quantities of 25 pounds. I ponied up for 100 pounds of Semillon and 100 pounds of Sauvignon Blanc. NCT took his whole backroll and placed it on Chenin Blanc. The grapes were havested on October 12 and Jon from Mountain Homebrew personally picked up the grapes from Pleasant Vineyards in Prosser Washington. NCT and I met at Mountain Homebrew and were alotted a certain time to crush and then press the grapes. In white winemaking the pressing of the grapes occurs right after the crush. In red winemaking the grape skins are left in contact with the juice through fermentation, thus increasing the wines red color and complexity. It is traditional that during the press process, the winemaker sample the grapes and get a sense of the sweetness and depth of the grapes he will be turning into wine. When NCT and I sampled our three various varietals, it was obvious that the Chenin was not ready for harvest. Alas, NCT was the only purchaser of Chenin Blanc grapes that year from Mountain Homebrew and Jon was not going to make a special trip two weeks later to get those grapes. ready or not, NCT's Chenin Blanc grapes were coming home. But that too is a story for NCT's website.
I took my two separate batches and squeezed five gallons of grape juice from each of the 100 pounds of grapes. I then brought the loaded glass carboys back to Daniels Creek Winery Estates to begin the process of making a 2001 vintage.
Winemaking notes are better for this vintage.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.085
Ph 3.08
Brix 22
TA .74
Yeast used was Lalvin 71B-1122
Date Bottled — June 8, 2001 — 4 cases
Winemaking notes are better for this vintage.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.081
Ph 3.28
Brix 21
TA .75
Yeast used was Lalvin 71B-1122
Date Bottled — June 8, 2001 — 4 cases
By August of 2002 it was obvious that the 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon vintage was a winner! NCT and I decided to once again split a 500 pound order of Cabernet grapes through WWAWA. We had picked up a few fans since our previous vintage and they too wanted to join in on the fun. So NCT and I and five other soon-to-be-winemakers purchased 1500 pounds of Cabernet grapes.
Grapes were harvested on October 4th at Sagemoor Vineyards and trucked over to Fitz Auto parts the following morning. The same process ensued that we partook in two years previous. Again, the seven of us Garagistes went to Daniels Creek Winery Estate to crush the grapes.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.110
Brix 23
TA .69
Ph 3.6
Yeast used was Gist-Brocades Cepage
Date Bottled — August 11, 2003 — 8 cases
Harvested October 3, 2004 at Sagemoor Vineyards. I think a little premature. It was delivered to Fitz Auto Parts the following day. Based on the readings below, I believe this vintage will be a pleasure to drink with an overwhelming taste of fruit, but may not
have the complexity of the 2000 or 2003 vintage. The wine was pressed 14 days later, which meant 14 days on the skins. A malo-lactic fermentation was induced shortly after the press.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.103
Brix 23.2
TA .48
Ph 3.8
Yeast used was Gist-Brocades Cepage
That's right a TA of .48 which indicates a low acidic wine - not a great thing to have in a red wine. I added Tartaric Acid during fermentation to beef up the acid in the wine. I coined a phrase "Filipant Wine" for a red without backbone. Am I correct in adding
Tartaric Acid and those fellow Garagistes who didn't, will they end up with gallons of Filipant Wine or are they right on and I will be delivering cases of Pucker Juice? Only time will tell. This is why I love winemaking!
Expected Date to Bottle — August, 2004 — 8 cases
Harvested on September 12, 2003 at Sagemoor Vinyards and delivered the next day at Fitz Auto Parts. It was a sunny day with a temperature of 52 degrees at crush and press time. This is Daniels Creeks inaugural vintage of Chardonnay.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.101
Brix 25
TA .60
Ph 3.8
Yeast used was Lalvin D-47
Date Bottled — May 31, 2004 — 3 cases
Because of the potential high alcohol level, a yeast nutrient was added to help finish the fermentation process. The wine did not undertake a malo-lactic fermentation and was placed on oak for approximately 6 weeks.
Kicking off the 2004 Vintage with a Fruit Wine made from organic rhubarb given to us by Farmer Bob at the neighboring gentlemen farm estate of August Farms. Farmer Bob has too much rhubarb and he contracted with us to make a wine and share it with him. Farmer Bob is pretty lonely come the cold winter months and that's just about the time the rhubarb is ready for drinking. It's a great dry wine with a clean finish that goes well with poultry. Farmer Bob has chickens too. Harvested on May 31, 2004 - Memorial Day. The rhubarb was sliced up and sat on sugar for 24 hours. The sugar started to breakdown the rhubarb leaving a sweet slush. Unlike the Rhubarb-Strawberry vintage that Daniels Creek released last year, we only plan on releasing a straight rhubarb wine this year.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.084
Potential Alchol of 11%
TA .60
Yeast used was Lalvin V-1116
Date Bottled — September 5, 2004 — 1 case (we need to share with Farmer Bob)
Our 2nd year of making this chardonnay. This was a far better grape to work with than our 2003 vintage. Placed the wine on oak chips for three months, to add some vanilla flavors for an already fruity and complex wine.
This vintage won the blue ribbon at the Virtious Vintiners 2nd Annual Wine Tasting Comtetition!
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.104
Potential Alchol of 14%
TA .60
Yeast used was Lalvin D-47
Date Bottle — July 10, 2005 — 37 bottles
The tradition continues with grapes once again from Sagemoor Vinyards. Grapes were harvested on October 3rd. This year's grapes have a higher potential alcohol and TA levels. Lot's of potential here.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.110
Potential Alchol of 15%
TA .64
PH 3.69
Yeast used was Red Star Pasteur Red
Expected Date to Bottle — October, 2005
Our 1st year of making this Pinot Gris from grapes grown in Oregon's Willamette Valley. The PH was pretty low after fermentation (3.05) so I did not sulfite. I believe the wine went through a slight Malolatic Fermentation due to low sulfite levels. I did not oak this vintage for its floral aroma and crisp taste spoke for itself and didn't need any oak to complicate things. With a solid TA of .73 this PG will have some real backbone.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.092
Potential Alchol of 12%
TA .73
Yeast used was Lalvin D-47
Date Bottled — July 10, 2005 — 23 bottles
Our 3rd year of making this Chardonnay from grapes grown at Sagemoor Vineyards. This vintage won the blue ribbon at the Virtious Vintiners 2nd Annual Wine Tasting Comtetition! The PH was pretty low after fermentation (3.05) so I did not sulfite. I believe the wine went through a slight Malolatic Fermentation due to low sulfite levels. I did not oak this vintage for its floral aroma and crisp taste spoke for itself and didn't need any oak to complicate things. With a solid TA of .73 this PG will have some real backbone.
Starting Specific Gravity (SG)
Potential Alchol of 13%
TA
Yeast used was WYeast 3021 Pasteur Champaign
Date Bottled — July 22, 2006 — 36 bottles
This Cabernet from Sagemoor vineyards came in low in the TA department, so I added Tartaric Acid pre-fermentation and it built up the backbone character of this wine. The Ph now reads 3.59 with a TA of .76. This wine went through malolactic fermentation and 6 ounces of oak chips. I have 12 gallons of wine and look to bottle soon.
Date Grapes Picked - October 1, 2005
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.107
Potential Alchol of 14%
Ph level 3.72
TA .50
Yeast used was Premier Cuvee
Planned Date Bottled — September 16, 2006 — bottles
Our 1st year of making this Rose' from grapes grown at Chandler Reach Vineyard in eastern Washington. Juice was left on the skins for 1 day before pressing. This wine was not oaked to retain the fruity character.
Date Grapes Picked - November 4, 2005
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.0915
Potential Alchol of 13%
Ph level 3.25
TA .58
Yeast used was Cote des Blancs
Date Bottled — June 6, 2006 — 15 bottles
Our 1st year of making this vintage from grapes grown at Chandler Reach Vineyards in eastern Washington. The PH was pretty low from initial readings. Daniels Creek Winery was getting its kitchen remodeled so the juice sat on the skins for about two weeks before yeast was added and fermentation began. After fermentation the Ph creapt up to 3.33 and so did the TA to .80, though it did not taste more acidic. The wine was ressed on November 27th. The wine did go through a malolatic fermentation.
Date Grapes Picked - November 4, 2005
Starting Specific Gravity (SG) 1.0915
Potential Alchol of 13%
Ph level 3.25
TA .58
Yeast used was 3244 Chianti
Planned Date Bottled — September 16, 2006 — bottles