There’s an old theatre adage that no matter how many bumps a representation seems to have while still in rehearsal, come opening night somehow everything falls into place and works itself out. It seems to me that this little piece of stage wisdom is the best way to explain the 2004 harvest, now that I consider it in hindsight.
This, even if while still in the midst of it, there was no talking about performing arts and its “just roll with it” approach. Sure everybody knew there would be good wines to show for the year, Chile’s stable climatic conditions make for a far more limited range of variations from one season to the next than what happens in other, more temperamental wine regions. Still, 2003 had been almost flawless and 2004 was reminding us that if we want to define the style our wines will carry, we need to toil for those extra days on the vines, that precise phenolic ripeness or that delicate aromatic balance.
Back by the beginning of the 2003 spring some of the writing was already on the vines. A hotter September and October gave us early blossoming and budding and so, the fruit started its development earlier. But that was it, from then on the season evolved in its regular, accommodating fashion and work at vineyards was business as usual. Once in 2004 the atypical quality of the vintage kicked in: when summer was supposed to begin withering, it took a last minute impetus and delivered a second half of February and a whole of March with unusually high temperatures.
Grapes, being the susceptible creatures they are, answered in stride by getting ready for their big cutting moment. Sugar levels climbed and soon enough, fruit began showing Brix levels indicative of harvest readiness. Brix scale is a parameter to measure the sugar in grapes and, by extension, the alcohol level the resulting wine will have. The trouble was that, depending on the specific valley and terroir, this started happening well ahead -sometimes a full 3 weeks- of the historic picking timetable.
Boosted by the additional heat and sunlight, fruit built its sugar without waiting for phenols and at times not even for the aromatic integrity to follow suit, leaving us winemakers in a difficult quandary as to which parameter should be the one dictating the harvest’s schedule. And here’s where the 2004 harvest cuts off into two main tracks: those who waited and those who didn’t.
Whites were easy. The sugar and the aromatic profile were there and in the absence of tannins to worry about, we launched harvest proper on February 24 in Chimbarongo, picking the Sauvignon Blanc. This was 10 days earlier than usual, with some of this gap accounted for by our effort to produce fresher whites, which call for an early harvest anyway.
With reds the decision was far more complex, since listening solely to the Brix mandate meant picking grapes lacking in tannins. Instead, we decided that the fruit would stay on the vines until it reached phenolic ripeness. At the same time we were hoping that temperatures would have to decrease soon. Waiting for harvest usually means worrying about rain, but this time there were other possible scenarios to face. If sugar kept escalating, there was a risk of the consecutive wines having too much alcohol, or the fruit could dehydrate due to high temperatures.
Not to spoil the suspense, but at this point I have to say that we ended with a very auspicious harvest and in the historic date ranges. How? Read on.
Letting the fruit linger by, was rendering the desired phenolic structure we were after. Temperatures did somehow give in and grapes hadn’t dehydrated but sugar hadn’t abated either. We were wondering when to call it a season when relief arrived in the form of some rainfall, which surprisingly enough turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The water and the lower temperatures helped halt the sugar spree and bought us more time. And talking about it, rain timing was also good: whites didn’t suffer due to their being already safe and sound in the winery, while the still outdoors reds received the refreshing kick they so longed for.
So much of the key to get good reds this 2004 was waiting notwithstanding. Notwithstanding the heat first, and notwithstanding the rain afterwards. Working ahead by fine-tuning the vineyards made all the difference. Only spaced, aired, correctly shaped and well exposed bunches lived up to the test. Nowadays I’m happy to report that both whites and reds are showing surprising quality. With whites, maybe the reason has to be tracked down to a constant temperature pattern prior to harvest which, even if it was high, provided ideal photosynthetic conditions for higher aromatic concentration.
So a harvest that in paper looked like a possible blow, somehow turned out just fine, even excellent. True the unexpected weather had the total production of Chilean wine regions drop by an average 15%, but in terms of fruit quality the downscaled yields helped increase concentration naturally. For Cono Sur it was a trying season, but one that is now bearing surprising and remarkable rewards, after all the time and energy spent comparing the 2003 and 2004 harvests, as far as tasting the wines in the making goes, quality between both years seems pretty even.
WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEYS
Casablanca Valley
Production was affected by spring frosts, which were especially tough due to the early blossoming. On the good side vines working ahead of their normal schedule compensated when harvest also decided to touch base early, because fruit still got a normal developing period. In this context the Pinot Noir received a little extra boost, since its harvest was done in the normal date and with just the right amount of sugar. All of the Casablanca varieties: Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir were cut at an aromatic high, but were lucky enough to keep their acidity at also good levels.
Maipo Valley
Even though the valley saw harvests even 30 days ahead of their historic rule, the reward for those who waited came in the form of concentration and soft tannins. Maipo was the valley with the clearer sugar lead and the one in which holding back was harder. Upon cutting the Cabernet Sauvignon, aromatic intensity was at its peak and concentration in mouth, indicative of a very promising wine. Early vinification shows rich colour extraction touching on black, deep hues.
Rapel Valley (including Colchagua)
Since it has always been a warmer valley, it fell less unusual. True, temperatures were somehow higher but at the end of the harvest, things weren’t that different. Our valley-related milestones: Merlot, Syrah and Carménère surprised us via good extraction and perfect acidity balance.
Bío-Bío Valley
If it contradicted 2003, that was because last year was an exception. 2004 returned to normal temperatures and rainfall and so this valley, much as Rapel, soothed this season by sticking to recognisable behaviour. Riesling is what shows more promise so far: young, fresh, and blessed with elegant natural acidity.
This, even if while still in the midst of it, there was no talking about performing arts and its “just roll with it” approach. Sure everybody knew there would be good wines to show for the year, Chile’s stable climatic conditions make for a far more limited range of variations from one season to the next than what happens in other, more temperamental wine regions. Still, 2003 had been almost flawless and 2004 was reminding us that if we want to define the style our wines will carry, we need to toil for those extra days on the vines, that precise phenolic ripeness or that delicate aromatic balance.
Back by the beginning of the 2003 spring some of the writing was already on the vines. A hotter September and October gave us early blossoming and budding and so, the fruit started its development earlier. But that was it, from then on the season evolved in its regular, accommodating fashion and work at vineyards was business as usual. Once in 2004 the atypical quality of the vintage kicked in: when summer was supposed to begin withering, it took a last minute impetus and delivered a second half of February and a whole of March with unusually high temperatures.
Grapes, being the susceptible creatures they are, answered in stride by getting ready for their big cutting moment. Sugar levels climbed and soon enough, fruit began showing Brix levels indicative of harvest readiness. Brix scale is a parameter to measure the sugar in grapes and, by extension, the alcohol level the resulting wine will have. The trouble was that, depending on the specific valley and terroir, this started happening well ahead -sometimes a full 3 weeks- of the historic picking timetable.
Boosted by the additional heat and sunlight, fruit built its sugar without waiting for phenols and at times not even for the aromatic integrity to follow suit, leaving us winemakers in a difficult quandary as to which parameter should be the one dictating the harvest’s schedule. And here’s where the 2004 harvest cuts off into two main tracks: those who waited and those who didn’t.
Whites were easy. The sugar and the aromatic profile were there and in the absence of tannins to worry about, we launched harvest proper on February 24 in Chimbarongo, picking the Sauvignon Blanc. This was 10 days earlier than usual, with some of this gap accounted for by our effort to produce fresher whites, which call for an early harvest anyway.
With reds the decision was far more complex, since listening solely to the Brix mandate meant picking grapes lacking in tannins. Instead, we decided that the fruit would stay on the vines until it reached phenolic ripeness. At the same time we were hoping that temperatures would have to decrease soon. Waiting for harvest usually means worrying about rain, but this time there were other possible scenarios to face. If sugar kept escalating, there was a risk of the consecutive wines having too much alcohol, or the fruit could dehydrate due to high temperatures.
Not to spoil the suspense, but at this point I have to say that we ended with a very auspicious harvest and in the historic date ranges. How? Read on.
Letting the fruit linger by, was rendering the desired phenolic structure we were after. Temperatures did somehow give in and grapes hadn’t dehydrated but sugar hadn’t abated either. We were wondering when to call it a season when relief arrived in the form of some rainfall, which surprisingly enough turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The water and the lower temperatures helped halt the sugar spree and bought us more time. And talking about it, rain timing was also good: whites didn’t suffer due to their being already safe and sound in the winery, while the still outdoors reds received the refreshing kick they so longed for.
So much of the key to get good reds this 2004 was waiting notwithstanding. Notwithstanding the heat first, and notwithstanding the rain afterwards. Working ahead by fine-tuning the vineyards made all the difference. Only spaced, aired, correctly shaped and well exposed bunches lived up to the test. Nowadays I’m happy to report that both whites and reds are showing surprising quality. With whites, maybe the reason has to be tracked down to a constant temperature pattern prior to harvest which, even if it was high, provided ideal photosynthetic conditions for higher aromatic concentration.
So a harvest that in paper looked like a possible blow, somehow turned out just fine, even excellent. True the unexpected weather had the total production of Chilean wine regions drop by an average 15%, but in terms of fruit quality the downscaled yields helped increase concentration naturally. For Cono Sur it was a trying season, but one that is now bearing surprising and remarkable rewards, after all the time and energy spent comparing the 2003 and 2004 harvests, as far as tasting the wines in the making goes, quality between both years seems pretty even.
WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEYS
Casablanca Valley
Production was affected by spring frosts, which were especially tough due to the early blossoming. On the good side vines working ahead of their normal schedule compensated when harvest also decided to touch base early, because fruit still got a normal developing period. In this context the Pinot Noir received a little extra boost, since its harvest was done in the normal date and with just the right amount of sugar. All of the Casablanca varieties: Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir were cut at an aromatic high, but were lucky enough to keep their acidity at also good levels.
Maipo Valley
Even though the valley saw harvests even 30 days ahead of their historic rule, the reward for those who waited came in the form of concentration and soft tannins. Maipo was the valley with the clearer sugar lead and the one in which holding back was harder. Upon cutting the Cabernet Sauvignon, aromatic intensity was at its peak and concentration in mouth, indicative of a very promising wine. Early vinification shows rich colour extraction touching on black, deep hues.
Rapel Valley (including Colchagua)
Since it has always been a warmer valley, it fell less unusual. True, temperatures were somehow higher but at the end of the harvest, things weren’t that different. Our valley-related milestones: Merlot, Syrah and Carménère surprised us via good extraction and perfect acidity balance.
Bío-Bío Valley
If it contradicted 2003, that was because last year was an exception. 2004 returned to normal temperatures and rainfall and so this valley, much as Rapel, soothed this season by sticking to recognisable behaviour. Riesling is what shows more promise so far: young, fresh, and blessed with elegant natural acidity.