THE VINEYARDS
CAREFULLY CHOSEN VINEYARDS AND LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS
Soil composition, climate, elevation, drainage, and geology. These are a few of the considerations that make up terroir and affect how grapes grow and ripen. They contribute to a wine's distinctive character. We carefully assess the terroir, the grower, and select the finest vineyards to produce premium fruit for our wines.
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Monvitis develops long term relationships with the vineyard owners and growers who are known to consistently produce the finest fruit. Their grapes make up the core of our wines. However, from year to year we also discover and source grapes from vineyards that we feel can contribute or add a new or special element to our wines in a particular vintage.
VITICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
While terroir is critical in producing the premium quality fruit that goes into our wines, solid viticultural practices and sustainability play an equally important roll. Careful pruning, leaf pulling, pest management, cluster dropping and harvesting lead to more healthy vineyards that produce grapes with concentrated flavors, aromas, firm tannins and an optimal level of sugar, pH and acidity.
Managing through challenges such as drought, heat spikes and wild fires requires the skills of thoughtful and experienced vineyard managers. Sustainable practices such as honey bee hives, cover crops, owl houses, solar power and recycling are employed to limit any further damage to our environment.
COOL HARVESTING AND GENTLE HANDLING OF THE FRUIT
Our fruit is picked in the cool of the evening and early morning. At cooler temperatures the sugar levels are stable, flavors are more potent and acid levels are elevated. Following harvest, the grapes are immediately moved to the winery where they are sorted, de-stemmed and gently crushed. For the next thirty-six to forty-eight hours the crushed fruit (must) is chilled and cold soaked. During this time a natural metabolic breakdown of the skins occurs that extracts deep, rich color, aromas, flavor, acidity and tannins.
Following cold soak, the fruit is allowed to gently warm and begin the natural process of fermentation. Depending upon our winemaker's assessment of the fruit, vineyard of origin and style of wine being made, either the indigenous yeast will be used or a specialized yeast will be introduced to highlight and bring forward the unique flavors and aromas intrinsic within the fruit.
On a regular basis each day, the fermenting fruit is tasted, tested and receives a gentle punch-down to insure the wine is progressing to its maximum expressiveness. When fermentation nears completion the wine is carefully pressed and moved to French Oak Barrels.