Pinot Grigio: Acid Add

This image shows Charlotte Hardy from the Lane setting up an acid trial. Charlotte is pipetting different concentrations of tartaric acid into samples of the pinot grigio.

My goal with the grigio was to maximise aromatics but retain a tight, almost squeaky structure with acid and tannin balance. I am stoked with the natural tannins (phenolics) that have come out in the wine. I love a little phenolic grip in whites; i find phenolics help carry food and wine flavours on the palate.

In the previous acid trial update for the blog I discussed the process we undertook to narrow the ballpark figure of acid addition for the pinot grigio down to within 250mg/L. Now that the pinot grigio is dry (all sugar converted to alcohol) our initial estimations really had to be reworked. The process showed us lots of surprises but eventually we came to a team decision that should stand us and the pinot grigio in excellent steed.

Against all my personal convictions I went ahead and decided to reduce the alcohol from 14.3 to 13.77% before going to barrel. This was done by adding 11.25L of water to 225 L of wine together with 0.8g/L tartaric acid. Once in Barrel, the wine was sulfured to 15parts per million free and bunged-up. For more info on sulfur additions search sulfur in the "search this blog" section on the home page.

I say acid and water additions are against my own conviction as I have always considered my self a purist when it comes to food and wine e.g. when I eat cheese I am not interested in any condiments or bread, just the pure flavour and texture of the natural product. It has always been the same with wines. I admire producers like the Lane, Tscharke and Lucy Margaux who are minimal interventionists in both the vineyard and cellar. However, this wine is being tailored specifically with Auge food styles in mind. Additions were a pragmatic decision to ensure the wine suits the style of our food and so that our wine retains its own identity different to that of the Lane. Up and till now both our and the Lane's 2008 grigio have been managed together.

Although still a small, family owned winery, the Lane is larger than my other two partners Tscahrke and Domaine Lucy Margaux. Ideally I would have liked to have taken our portion of the grigio off earlier however, due to rapid grape ripening rates caused by a hot year, it was not possible for me to harvest our portion of the pinot grigio vineyard separately, as this would have thrown a spanner in a highly logistic and systematic grape harvesting and wine making schedule. I had 100% faith in the Lane teams' call to leave the grigio hanging. The evidence in their experience with the variety is obvious in their wines.

After the acid additions I am very excited in how the grigio is looking and can't wait to see how she develops in her brief barrel adventure, where she'll take on a little more tannin grip.