By Lenn Thompson, Long Island Editor and Editor-in-Chief
Just a quick note to check in from the beginnings of the 2009 Finger Lakes grape harvest.
After a couple hours spent at Fox Run Vineyards yesterday afternoon, with Morgan and Evan, bottling some sparkling wine and a delicious industry/winemaker dinner at Red Newt Bistro, I spent the day at Anthony Road Wine Company harvesting a small block of pinot gris just down the hill from the tasting room.
I don't know the total tonnage (will find out tomorrow morning when we sort) but the 6-man crew picked all morning and for a bit after lunch (back at Fox Run by the way -- great sandwiches). The whole clusters are hanging out in the cold room overnight before we get at them tomorrow.
Every wine lover should be lucky enough to harvest grapes at least once in their lives. It really adds to the appreciation one feels for the work and the people behind the wines we love. They are so much more than just a beverage.
I'll let our new science editor, Tom Mansell, chime in on the picture above. He told me to be on the lookout for clusters like this (and for pinot blanc, which we saw a few clusters of as well).
Did the shriveled up grapes smell sour? Pinot Gris is very susceptible to sour/grey rot.
Posted by: Bryan | September 25, 2009 at 08:38 PM
There was definitely some. Any clusters that were overrun were discarded already and I pulled as many berries off of anything I picked as I could. I guess we'll be on the lookout for more on the sorting table tomorrow morning.
Posted by: Lenn Thompson | September 25, 2009 at 11:27 PM
brix?
Posted by: Rowland | September 26, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Pinot vines are generally thought to be somewhat genetically unstable, especially in the region of the genome that controls anthocyanin (color compound) production. For example, it is thought that Pinot Noir became Pinot Blanc by a deletion of a factor that regulates anthocyanin bioynthesis.
"A Skin Color Mutation of Grapevine, from Black-Skinned Pinot Noir to White-Skinned Pinot Blanc, Is Caused by Deletion of the Functional VvmybA1 Allele"
http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bbb/70/6/70_1506/_article
Furthermore, you can sometimes observe in Pinot Gris that Pinot Blanc characteristics show up on the same vine, cluster, or in some cases the same berry (as above). It's not known exactly what's responsible for this phenomenon, but the study of transposable elements in the grape genome is leading to new understanding of where cultivar differences come from, and why grapes have varying anthocyanin levels.
"Molecular Characterization of a Bud Sport of Pinot gris Bearing White Berries"
http://www.ajevonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/60/1/66
Posted by: Tom Mansell | September 26, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Had the opportunity to sample Anthony Road last time in New York City. They were setup at the Union Square Farmer's Market. Loved their Rieslings!
Posted by: Brian | September 26, 2009 at 11:38 AM
For reference, here's a picture that I took at the Cornell vineyards in Lansing, showing PG and PB on the same vine.
http://pic.gd/b97602
Posted by: Tom Mansell | September 26, 2009 at 11:38 AM
lucky man this is something that i really want to do, just for the experience so next year my goal is to get out picking even if its just once.
Posted by: steve | September 26, 2009 at 07:17 PM
steve, there is still plenty of picking to do, especially here in the Hudson Valley.
Posted by: Rowland | September 27, 2009 at 08:15 AM