Working with fruit from the Bechthold vineyard makes winemaking super easy. Each year without fail the strawberry rhubarb aromas jump out of the glass after only a couple months aging in neutral oak. I hardly have to do anything to the Cinsault during aging. This month, I ran some fining trials to see if a gentle fining made any improvements to the wine. I love my job. I get to taste through 5 different versions of this wine with the slightest tweaks (talking parts per million additions), searching for the most balanced and yet complex sensory expression. After serious contemplation, tasting back and forth, I found the control (no fining) to be the best. Super easy!
