Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 31

WHY NIGHT TIME IS THE RIGHT TIME

IT PRESERVES THE PURITY OF THE FRUIT
Keeping grapes cold protects the delicate flavors, skins and pulp.
Heat can "cook" fruit and make it flabby, destroying important
acidity and softening pulp so the fruit tastes "fat." By picking
when fruit is chilled, we keep it clean and fresh. You can taste the
difference in the juice even before it's made into wine-it's crisp
and rich and dances on the tongue.
IT SHOWCASES BALANCED FRUIT FLAVOR
Many California Chardonnays tend to be ripe, full-bodied and
buttery, with higher alcohol levels. But Jordan Chardonnay's style
is Burgundian, highlighting complex fruit, notes of earth and
minerals, and a crisp, lively character boasting Fuji apple and
citrus flavors. Cold temperatures keep acidity higher, minimize
phenolic extraction of the skins and keep astringency in check.
Warmth also changes the sugar composition of grapes, and
can promote undesirable wild yeast fermentation. Higher sugar
levels lead to the higher alcohols that Jordan avoids. By picking
chilled, the resulting wine is fruit-forward but elegantly balanced,
showcasing stone fruit nuances and vibrant acidity.
IT'S GOOD FOR THE VINEYARD TEAM
In the beginning, it was a bit of challenge to recruit night
picking crews. Working at night was a novel idea, and it took
some convincing for vineyard workers to change their ways.

All our Chardonnay grapes are picked strictly by hand, making
it extremely hard, meticulous work. Although the Russian River
Valley may get cold at night, the days can be very warm, and the
crew quickly realized the benefits of not laboring through hot,
sunny days. Pickers were able to work faster, and they're also paid
higher wages for working at night.
IT MAXIMIZES WINERY EFFICIENCY
Jordan uses just one hopper to receive grapes and send them to
crush. And sometimes our Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon
harvests overlap. Our Cabernet grapes like warmth-it brings the
rich, silky Bordeaux style that is the hallmark of Jordan Cabernet
Sauvignon. We harvest and manage the Chardonnay grapes
through the night, then switch to the Cabernet grapes during
the day. Interestingly, picking the grapes when they're cold saves
energy, because they don't have to be mechanically pre-chilled
before they're crushed.
IT'S FUN
There is something magical about being awake in the wee hours,
when the rest of the country is so still and quiet. We attach lights
to a tractor, and move swiftly through the dark vines. I have an
amateur interest in astronomy, and I enjoy staring up at the sky
and counting the stars. If we have a full moon, it makes night
harvest even more special.
31
http://blog.jordanwinery.com/2011/09/harvest-2011-videos-and-photos-from-our-first-week-of-crush/
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015

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