Corinne and Mike Oleksyn, owners of Kings Garden Vineyards, report that they've picked the chardonnay and pinot noir from their estate vineyards.
Both grapes were harvested on September 18, with the chardonnay coming in at 2.5-3 tons per acre, 22 degrees brix, 7 g/L of TA and pH of 3.2. The pinot crop was much lighter at 1.5 tons/acre. Brix was at 22, TA at 6 g/L and pH of 3.4
In explaining how they decide when to pick the pinot, Corinne says "We don't like to let our pinot noir get above 22 or 23 brix. It just raises the pH and with a high pH, you could have an unstable wine. We like the acid low and the pH around 3.2-3.5 range. Anything higher and its dangerous territory. Also, we like the brix at 22/23 for an alcohol at around 12/13%."
They were planning to pick their syrah this week, but "September weather hasn't been our friend and has slowed things down a bit," she says, adding "I am guessing that we will pick our Syrah closer to the end of next week -- October 1st. But still earlier than ever before."
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