The Fish of 1000 Casts

Friday, Jul 24th, 2009

 

The weather over the last few weeks has left many farmers cursing their luck and already looking ahead to next year. Cold temperatures, rain and periodic hail have left us wondering if and when summer will finally arrive.

Determined not to let this “dampen” our annual trip to Bobcaygeon, I threw together a few barrel samples and we hit the road with an excited puppy in tow. I always look forward to this brief respite from the farm as it allows me to indulge in one of my true passions: the pursuit of the elusive Muskellunge.

Muskies are large, vicious predators that feast on other fish, small water fowl, and the occasional unlucky swimmer.  One encounter with these toothy monsters is all it took to breed my obsession.  I will caution, however, that muskie fishing can lead to extreme frustration, nightmares and hooks being painfully lodged into various body parts.

Come to think of it, fishing for muskies is a lot like growing and crafting Pinot Noir.  Both are very “results driven” hobbies that require the utmost patience.  I’ve learned that the joy must come in the anticipation and pursuit of that “result” or else you will be disappointed more often then not.  The near misses that one encounters in each of these endeavors can be as character building as they are heartbreaking.  For me, the thrill is knowing that the biggest and best is still lurking out there, just waiting to be caught or crafted.   Alas, despite many hours and thousands of casts, I came up empty on my muskie hunt this year.  There was one mighty strike though, and that is more than enough to satisfy my passion for another year.

I was a little luckier with the wine samples, as they were a big hit at one of our cottage feasts.  We tasted a bottle of our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon and a barrel sample of the 2007 Pinot Noir in an effort to decide on a release date.  Understandably, the 2005 Cab was miles ahead of the 2007 Pinot in terms of being ready to drink, but the Pinot showed some exciting signs of maturity since the last time we tried it.  The tannins are finally starting to soften, allowing the classic Pinot flavours and satiny mouthfeel to shine through.  Aromatically, the 2007 Pinot has always packed a punch, but this particular blend took a while to open up, but once it did…oh my.  It was decided to bottle this wine soon, with hopes of a spring 2010 release. Look for the 2005 Cab in late November.

The Joys of Hand Labour

Tuesday, Jul 07th, 2009

 

To me, a day spent grunting your way through hard, manual labour offers the ultimate in satisfaction.  Granted, there is the physical pain, the mental fatigue and the dragging hours – but at the end of that day you can look back and be proud of what you’ve accomplished, however big or small.

I am truly at peace when working in the vineyard.  It’s a time of introspection and reflection blended with intense focus on the job at hand.  This is where the “feel” aspect of viticulture comes into play.  I don’t know if I actually think about what I’m doing anymore, it just sort of comes naturally.   Years of suckering, thinning, shoot positioning and leaf removal have transformed me into a grape-trellising robot of sorts.

There are many levels of satisfaction involved with vineyard hand labour.  First is the feeling that you are helping the vine by removing excess growth.  There is also the visual appeal of a clean and vertically positioned vine versus a chaotic canopy.  As a neat freak I have an extremely low tolerance for chaos, so bringing order to the vineyard gives me a special joy.  Finding a proper spot for each shoot and grape bunch within the canopy is an important job that I am currently undertaking.   Large amounts of rain have made that canopy extremely crowded, and the job gets exponentially  harder each day as the vine starts growing laterally at a rapid pace.  I tend to perceive each vine as a puzzle that needs to be solved, which really gets my creative juices flowing.  The pictures below give you a good “before and after” look at our Sauvignon Blanc.

The advent of the iPod has added yet another enjoyment level to this work.  I find that the right song at the right time can elicit crazy emotions ranging from pride to the depths of sadness.  Ultimately, it helps break the monotony and makes the job go by quicker.  Working alone allows me to sing as loud as I want and even throw in the odd dance move if the mood strikes.

Finally, there is a weird spiritual vibe you get while working on a farm that dates back many generations.  You can’t help but feel many indelible ties to the past.  I must admit that there are days when I feel a definite presence alongside me while working among the vines.  It can be in the damp chill of an early morning fog, the flight of a majestic hawk and sometimes in the faint smell of pipe tobacco.  Hard to explain, but usually very vivid and strangely calming.

I feel lucky to be able to spend my summer days in the vineyard.  Being able to positively effect our 2009 vintage on a daily basis via my method of choice is a luxury that few winemakers are afforded.  It’s one of the things that makes Five Rows unique among wineries.

chaos

 

2009 Planting

Saturday, Jun 20th, 2009

 

Planting a new vineyard is always a time of apprehension and crossed fingers.  Could these little wax-covered sticks present us with an opportunity to produce some world class wines?   Only time will tell.

In a moment of weakness, it was decided last year amongst the Lowrey Vineyards brain trust (and I use that term very loosely) to plant nine more rows of Pinot Noir.  If you’ve read previous entries of  this blog, you’ve no doubt heard me describe some of the challenges we’ve faced growing Pinot over the years.  So why opt for more punishment you say?  I found myself wondering that exact thing as we planted the vines this past Tuesday.  Why not plant something easy to grow like Chardonnay or Cabernet Franc?  Therein lies the allure of Pinot Noir.  It gets in your blood, it messes with your mind and  it leads to irrational decisions.  I liken Pinot to a parasite who’s goal is not to have its host die, but rather suffer just enough to allow itself to thrive.

In a nutshell, the thing that makes Pinot so tough to grow are it’s tight little clusters of thin-skinned berries.  These clusters are like ticking time bombs just waiting for the opportunity to explode.  If one single berry in the middle of that cluster were to split, the whole bunch is usually compromised with botrytis or sour rot.  Once this rot has taken hold within the canopy, it spreads like wildfire from cluster to cluster aided by the dreaded fruit fly.  This sad fate has befallen many of the most promising crops of Pinot Noir.  The end, however, more than justifies the means.  If you can survive the gauntlet, Pinot Noir will reward your hard work.  That is why we planted the nine rows:  a shot at glory!

To add complexity to future wines we decided to experiment with different clones and rootstocks in this block.  Our older Pinot vines are all famed Dijon clone 115 on S04 rootstock.  In the new planting, we’ve included equal portions of clones 777, 667 and more 115.  The two new clones are known to have slightly looser clusters and thicker skins, producing wines with stronger black fruit and gamey notes.  To help control vine growth, we had the vines grafted to lower vigour rootstocks (101-14 and 3309) and planted them more densely in a patch of clay-based soil.

Since Tuesday, we’ve thankfully had two substantial rainfall’s to help the little guys along.  I would like to thank Wes Weins and his staff at Gemmrich W. Nursery for providing us with vines grown to our exact specifications.

 

The Irony and Necessity of Thinning

Monday, May 25th, 2009

 

Alright, your precious buds have made it through a long winter and recently survived a few very close calls with frost – now what is their reward?  Knock half of them off!

Arguably the most important job through the grape-growing season is “thinning” or the selective removal of excess shoots and clusters.  We normally start to focus on shoot-thinning at this time of year, as it becomes evident how many buds are viable and how crowded the vine is with growth.  Getting an early start is extremely important, as these growing shoots tend to explode towards the sun at rapid pace, especially in warmer spring weather like we are currently experiencing.  By my reckoning we are about 7-10 days ahead of the average season at this stage, boding well for getting things ripe at season’s end.

Shoot-thinning aids the growing vine in a number of ways.  It gives the remaining shoots a boost in resources, reduces the crop load on the vine, and prevents over-crowding in the canopy.  The goal is to get the vine to a stage where it can adequately ripen the crop load you are comfortable with.  A less dense canopy is advantageous because it allows better air flow for mildew and botrytis control and increased sun exposure for the clusters.  The finishing touch is cluster-thinning around veraison, which helps endow our wines with the concentrated flavours and aromas we are after.  I don’t even want to think about cluster-thinning yet, so I’ll tackle that subject at a later date!

I’d also like announce the arrival of the newest addition to our family, a puppy named Lucy.  She is an eight week old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever who will be in charge of bird control and public relations.  As for her guard dog skills, I’m skeptical at best, so we’ll spare her that chore for now.   I love Lucy.

 

Filling the Gaps

Wednesday, May 06th, 2009

 

What do you do when a grapevine dies?  The simple answer is that you plant another one in its place.  As you navigate the process, however, you come to the realization that there is nothing simple about it!

Due to some cold winter temperatures a few years back, many of our vineyard blocks were left with significant vine death (up to 25% in some spots).  Of the surviving vines, many suffered trunk damage to the extent where new suckers had to be brought up from the ground to re-establish the trellis.  As a result, our yields were reduced for four consecutive years until the vines recovered and/or were replaced.

Once planted, a replacement vine usually doesn’t usually produce fruit until its third season.  They are finicky little buggers that need copious amounts of sun, water, nutrition, protection, structural support and general TLC.  They are usually flanked by two old, grumpy vines with deep roots (who were getting used to the extra leg room) that are unwilling to yield any of those aforementioned necessities to this new kid on the block.  You begin to see the conundrum.  The vineyard as a whole still has to be farmed the same in terms of tilling, hoeing, etc.; but now every practice has to be tailored around these fragile young vines.

The first line of protection for the little guys is the insertion a small stake beside each vine.  This prevents the tractor-operated grape hoe from ripping them out of the ground as it removes weeds between the other mature vines.  The second line of defence is a “jacket”, of sorts, that envelopes the vine and protects it from herbicides, mechanical damage and rodents.  Known as “grow tubes”,  they also provide some insulation on those frosty, nervous mornings in the spring.

The temptation is to try to get fruit by the second season of growth, but the smart farmer knows that fruit takes energy from the growing vine, and deep roots are more important than a temporary gain in crop.  For this reason the replants are pruned right back to a couple of buds over winter, and any clusters of grapes that do appear the next season are trimmed off.

So the next time you stop by our winery, make sure to take a stroll out to the Sauvignon Blanc and take a peek into the ugly pink grow tubes that dot the vineyard.  The little vine you see inside may one day produce fruit that makes the cut in one of our wines.  Until then, I just hope Dad doesn’t plow it under by mistake…

Virtue is Ever Green

Wednesday, Apr 15th, 2009

 

My anticipation always heightens at this time of year.  Buds are swelling, sap is running and our “to do” list grows exponentially with each warming day.  Year in and year out it’s the same routine, but somehow it never gets old.  Needless to say, this seasonal ritual predates us and has been experienced by humans since crops were first domesticated some 10 000 years ago.

Through a bit of research I’ve discovered that the Lowrey family has a couple of interesting mottos adorning its Coat of Arms,  perhaps shedding a little light on why we make our living as farmers.  Depending on the spelling of “Lowrey” and the associated place of origin, the Coat of Arms features the words “Repullulat” or “Virtus Semper Virdis”.

Repullulat translates to “It buds afresh” – and the connection here is pretty obvious.  Virtus Semper Virdis translates to “Virtue is ever green” – which could be interpreted a couple of different ways.  I like to think that the earliest Lowrey’s foresaw the importance of growing crops and preserving the essence of land through sustainability.

This continues to be a focus of ours, both through vineyard practices and now in designing our wine operation.  It is our goal to give Five Rows more of an authentic feel than other “spare no expense” operations.  In other words, don’t expect glitz or polish when you pull into our driveway!  We don’t even have a sign yet, but somehow people still manage to find us.

Some sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives we promote are: leaf removal and hedging of vines by hand; close proximity of vineyard to picking and crushing facilities; hand-picking of fruit, minimal wine handling;  gravity racking (no pump); hand labeling; small, moveable wine tanks (making barn space more flexible); cold stabilization of wine is done outside using the cold temperatures (versus a climate controlled room);  finally, we don’t cater to large tour buses.

I welcome any new ideas that you folks may have to aid in reducing our carbon footprint.  This will help to strengthen our farm business and keep things “ever green”.

barn and buds

 

Spring Tastings Begin…

Monday, Mar 23rd, 2009

 

Spring is here, and over the last week I’ve had the pleasure to host a couple of fun and lively tasting sessions.  It was a welcome break from pruning to be joined by groups of both wine “lovers” and wine “makers”, respectively, for a tour of our barn and a taste through the Five Rows portfolio.  I have to admit that I still get butterflies when pouring our wines for those who have yet to try them, and I don’t think that will change anytime soon.

I like to use these tastings to gauge the general vibe that people are getting from our winery, and based on our first few sessions the feedback has been tremendous.  It excites me that our new friends really get what we are trying to do and often express a desire to lend a hand in the vineyard sometime next season.  I’m hoping they all realize that I just might have to take them up on that offer!

I’m finding that each tasting takes on its own dynamic, which keeps me on my toes and very engaged.  Often times I like to slip in a new barrel blend that I’ve been working on, as this is a great way to get valuable opinions directly from the people that matter…the wine buyers.  Despite subjecting my guests to this “guinea pig” treatment, I’ve yet to receive any complaints.

For example, I’m always trying to fine-tune our 2007 Pinot Noir by experimenting with different amounts of 2008 Pinot as part of the blend.  As a rule, we are allowed to blend up to 15% of different vintages into a single varietal wine.  The potential marriage of these two vintages is very intriguing.  The 2007 Pinot abounds with tannin, colour, and bold “new world” flavours, while the 2008 is more reminiscent of a classic Lowrey Pinot; subtle, elegant and classically Burgundian.  To date I’ve experimented with 5-10% of the 2008 in the blend, and results have been mixed.  Some loved it, some wanted more 2008, and some felt that it is simply too early to evaluate the potential of the 2007 alone.  I tend to fall into the latter category, so perhaps I’ll stop bugging the Pinot and let it do it’s thing for a little while longer.

To our friends in Niagara-On-The-Lake:  we are pleased to announce that you can now enjoy our 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon at the historic Charles Inn.

Longing for the Beauty of Fall

Monday, Jan 12th, 2009

 

With some extremely cold days bearing down on us later this week, I can’t help but find myself nostalgic for a beautiful fall day.  I hearken back to the memorable November day when we wrapped up our 2008 harvest by hand-picking some very ripe Cabernet Sauvignon.  The end of harvest is always kind of bittersweet because it represents a time when, thankfully, the stress is gone, but so is the fast-paced, daily excitement and a bond to something you’ve tended with care all season.

I remember that day on many levels.  The crisp aromas in the fall air, the wonderfully rich colours filling the escarpment, the small dark clusters of Cabernet, lugging picking baskets onto the wagon knowing that I was going to pay for it the next day, worrying that I might not have enough bin space to accommodate both rows of grapes, then forgetting all my worries listening to a Fleet Foxes song on my iPod….ahh to be back just for a moment!  As I rode back to the barn with this last load, I remember thinking that I must be the luckiest guy on earth to be able to do something I love surrounded by nature, family and friends.

The Terroir of St. Davids Bench

Thursday, Dec 18th, 2008

The friendly little town of St. David’s was a great place to grow up.   Family members lived around every corner, and the public school playground was within walking distance.  Grandma Lowrey’s house was always a hub of activity after school, as my cousins and I feasted on cookies and went exploring around the farm until our parents got off work.  Little did we know that the dirt we came home covered in would one day be heralded for  “uniquely expressing regional wine character”.

“Terroir”, the French word for “soil”, means many things to many people, and has evolved into an all-encompassing term.  I like to think of it as the combination of environmental, biochemical and geological factors that influence both the fruit of a growing grapevine and the resultant wine.  It’s the “je ne sais quoi” behind many of the world’s greatest wines.  That part of the wine that is seemingly out of our control and expressed in its unique taste, aroma and texture.  The cool thing is that single varietal wines crafted from the same vineyard terroir tend to produce similar characteristics year after year.

We are located in the VQA Ontario “St. David’s Bench” Appellation.  I’m not sure whether my Great, Great Grandfather was aware of all the potential “vinifera-growing” benefits of this site when settling here, but he did have a keen intuition for which fruit crops to plant back in his day.  I’ll spare you the geology lesson, but the Bench and Niagara Escarpment combine to provide excellent air circulation, drainage, and groundwater supply.  The ancient shores of glacial Lake Iroquois have left our vineyard with soils that range from sandy loam to clay loam and hard clay.   Limestone deposits are also abundant, helping to add to the overall mineral complexity.

Looking back at some newspaper clippings of wines made from our Pinot Noir over the years, I was amazed to see the similarities in flavour descriptors used by the reviewers.  In 1993, the Inniskillin Alliance Pinot Noir was described as having flavours of “candied cherry, raspberry, anise, earth, pepper, vanilla and firm tannin”.   The 1999 Creekside Pinot showed “raspberry, violets and a touch of pepper” and the 2001 Creekside Pinot featured “cherry, beet root and smoky notes”.  Our 2007 Pinot Noir is in its infancy right now, but the preceding characteristics could aptly describe this wine as well.  I take no credit for this…chalk it up to the terroir.

Our First Review! :  Check out the “Last Drop” column of the Jan/Feb edition of Vines Magazine (seen above) for a review of our 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Harvest 2008 – Part One

Monday, Oct 06th, 2008

 

Vintage ‘08 is upon us and to this point things have been…well…in a word …WET!!  Enough rain already.  I mean just when I thought we were in the clear we got doused by the remnants of a hurricane, and for the record: I don’t like Ike. Thankfully, the last couple of weeks have more than made up for the rain, with plenty of sunshine and perfect ripening conditions for the early varietals.

As per usual, the “Heartbreak Grape”, Pinot Noir, lived up to its moniker and provided lots of nervous moments and second guessing.  In fact, one day in the vineyard while pondering a harvest timing decision, I found myself singing aloud to the Clash hit “Should I Stay or Should I Go”.  The Pinot were clean but slightly underripe, with threatening weather on the horizon (“If I go there will be trouble / And if I stay it will be double”).  Ultimately, we decided not to pick and wait out what suddenly became Hurricane Ike.  All the water led to some berries actually splitting and roused us into action.  Led by a Pinot-loving mother hell-bent on saving her crop, the three of us spent two mind-numbing days cutting out individually split berries and underripe clusters.  On September 16th and 17th we finally hand-picked our first two tonnes of fruit.  In the end, what came in was ripe, clean (thus receiving the Wilma stamp of approval) and fermented into some really intriguing stuff.  I experimented with a new yeast strain this season called W15, which after pressing today, is the early favourite to put into our 2 new Sirugue barrels.

The whites, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc, are happily fermenting in the cold room of our barn as I write this.  I decided to add a single barrel ferment to the Pinot Gris regime this year, in an attempt to add a bit more complexity and refined mouthfeel to the final blend.  The majority will still be fermented in stainless steel because it worked so well last season.   From “the never do that again” file, we actually bottled our 2007 Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris between the days we picked the 2008 crops of each varietal.  Any winery employee will profess that harvesting and bottling are not meant to intermingle, but sometimes you just have to make room for the new stuff.  The ’07 whites will be a part of our initial release slated for the beginning of November.

The Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are still hanging strong and starting to pick up sugar and enhanced flavours on a daily basis.  I’ll keep you posted as the rest of Vintage ‘08 unfolds.  Better yet, stop by for a chat and taste a few berries yourself!