“JUICY, FRAGRANT, AND REMARKABLY PLEASURABLE, IT DELIVERS COOL-CLIMATE VIBRANCY AND DRINKABILITY, BUT IT IS BY NO MEANS PEDESTRIAN: IT HAS PLENTY OF STRUCTURE AND TEXTURE TO COUNTERWEIGHT THE FRESHNESS AND GENEROUS FRUIT.”
THAT IS JOUE RED.
YES, YOU WENT THERE. YOU JUST SCANNED A QR CODE ON A WINE BOTTLE, AND ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY TO BECOMING A TOTAL NERD.
ONE OF US… ONE OF US…
IN A NUTSHELL:
The varieties for the Joue Red are Pinot Noir, Gamay & Marechal Foch. The fruit is estate-grown on glacial stone and gravel soils, using permacultural and dry-farming approaches.
100% Whole-bunch fermentation, followed by a “Ripasso” treatment using the pressed skins from the Somenos Pinot Noir. Fully aged in stainless. No yeast, enzymes, or nutrients were added in the process. A small sulphur addition was made just before bottling. Unfined and unfiltered.
VITICULTURE
Our hybrid varietals, including the dominant varietal in the Joue Red, Marechal Foch, are located in “F Block” in the vineyard. The Gamay is purchased from a vineyard within 2km of us.
Generally there is more humidity where our hybrids are grown, due to proximity to Averill Creek. Or, they’re grown in shaded areas, sheltered from the wind. This is appropriate positioning since hybrids are especially disease resistant (which can result from humidity) and are early-ripening, which means that cooler conditions will still allow for ripening in our region.
Marechal Foch is early in all major stages, including bud break, growth, ripening, and harvest. For this reason, the situation slows ripening, ensures acidity is retained, while phenolics, or flavour, continues to develop in the fruit. For us, the readiness of Foch indicates when the harvest will start.
In 2022, it was a cool, wet Spring followed by a moderate summer, culminating in long, dry fall. This allows us to let the fruit hang longer, and increases flavour development and phenolic ripeness. Years like these are Brent’s favourite because you can taste the soil in the glass. Warm summers, you can taste the sunshine.
WINEMAKING
100% Whole-bunches of fruit were added into a tank for fermentation. Thirty litres of actively fermenting Pinot Gris was added as a natural inoculant. The tank was sealed fully, and the wine was pressed off after two weeks.
We were very happy with the vibrancy and perfume, but felt more structure was needed. The Somenos Pinot Noir has plenty of structure, and requires a very gentle press so as not to extract any harsh or bitter tannins. As a result there was plenty of goodness left in the Marc (the pressed grape skins) from the Somenos Pinot Noir. Not wanting to waste this, Brent added the pressed off Joue Red on top of the Marc and left it for 4 days before pressing it off again. Not only did this give the Joue Red more structure and texture, but it also offered another layer of depth and complexity to the fruit and perfume. The wine was matured in stainless.
Nothing was added to this wine with the exception of a small sulphur addition just before bottling. Meaning no yeast, enzymes, nutrients nor sulphur was added. The wine is unfiltered and un-fined.
SPECIFICATIONS
- pH: 3.51
- Titratable Acid: 6.6g/L
- Free Sulphur: 10ppm
- Alcohol: 12.5%
- Residual Sugar: <2g/L
- Malolactic Fermentation: 100%
- Production: 830 cases
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