The Just Grapes 2008 & 2009 Barrel Project members all met last night at the Grocery Bistro for a blind tasting of 10 Premium Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignons. The Pritchard Hill area of Napa Valley is known for cult Cabernet producers such as Colgin, Bryant Family and Chappellet. All wines were tasted in a blind format (identity of each wines were hidden) served in two different flights. Each member was asked to vote for their top wine in each of the flight. Here are the results based on overall votes (ranked from top to bottom) and their suggested retail prices*. The order in which the wine were tasted will be in “()”. You can click the links for the tasting notes on each wine.

This is the pomace from red wine fermentation that is made up of the skins, seeds, stems of red wine.  once the juice has been pressed away from these solids, the pomace is sold off to goats farm as feed.

This is some grapes that have gone through their primary fermentation and are being dropped in the bladder press to remove some additional juice.  This “pressed” juice will be handled separately and will generally provide structure and backbone to the final blend.

Bengi shows us how to do a hand punchdown on some fermenting Zinfandel.  The process of hand punchdowns allow for the gentle extraction of color, flavor, tannin and intensity.  The caps you must punch through are very thick and require some serious elbow grease.

Darren shows us how to hand punch down some Zinfandel.

Maggie demonstrates how to hand punch down to extract color, flavor, tannin and intensity.

The Just Grapes Barrel Project crew learn about red wine fermentation and their thick caps made up of skins, seeds, stems and other solids.  The caps is where red wine gets it’s color, flavor and extraction.

Stuart Ake of Crushpad discussing with the Just Grapes Barrel Project 2008 Crew the the importance of ripeness of seeds and stems in addition to the grapes. Seeds and stems provide tannin.  Stuart demonstrates the difference in look and size of grapes like Pinot Noir, Merlot and more.

Stuart Ake of Crushpad discussing how the difference of grape sizes, colors, density of cluster sizes and more affect the wine in your glass.  This meeting was part of the Barrel Project 2008 when the group was out at Crushpad making their own wine.

Stuart Ake of Crushpad discussing harvest 2008 conditions for 2008 with the Just Grapes Barrel Project Crew.  A great vintage for high end Cabernet like the one we are making!