Strawberry Wine Update

2013 Vintage is in full Swing

By Chris Cassel

July brought the start of the 2013 vintage as we started the next batch of strawberry wine.  This spring produced a very nice crop of strawberries with enough rain to produce very nice size fruit with just enough dry sunny days to build up sugars and flavor.  We were very pleased with the new strain of yeast that we selected for the 2012 strawberry wine, so we used the same strain of yeast to start the fermentation for this year’s batch.  The fermentation was a very controlled, slow, cold ferment which is aimed to enhance the fruit aroma of the wine.  We selected a new type of tannin to soften the wine and give a full soft mouth feel to the wine.  The tannin will also help to enhance the color preservation of the wine by reducing the oxidation.  As we transfer the first batch of wine for the 2013 season from the primary fermentation vats into the stainless steel tanks, I am certain we will be able to say the 2013 strawberry wine is going to be even better than the outstanding 2012.  We hope you enjoy all the time, thought and labor that goes into every bottle of wine we produce.