Scott Uncorked: Early Birds and Finicky Grapes — The Pinot Noir Harvest

If Riesling is the steady overachiever of the Finger Lakes, Pinot Noir is the moody artist. It’s brilliant when the stars align, but quick to throw a fit if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

A few weeks ago at Silver Thread Winery, where I’m working the harvest for the third year in a row, we brought in the Pinot Noir. We picked the grapes on the early side because the juice is destined for Rosé, which means harvesting while the grapes still have plenty of acidity and before the color gets too deep.

Pinot’s a thin-skinned grape, which makes it elegant in the glass but high-maintenance in the vineyard. It loves cool climates like Burgundy, Oregon, New Zealand, and the Finger Lakes.

But it’s not exactly built for our humidity. One damp stretch and you’re battling issues like powdery mildew before you know it. It keeps growers humble.

But when it behaves, FLX Pinot can be gorgeous. The clusters are delicate, the skins translucent, and the juice is full of bright cherry and cranberry notes, making it perfect for Rosé.

Once the bins were full, we headed back to the winery for a cold soak. That essentially gives the grapes a rest before fermentation starts. This helps extract a little color and flavor gently, without pulling too much tannin from those fragile skins. After that, the juice was pressed and is now fermenting in stainless steel tanks.

This year’s pick may have been early, but it’s got all the makings of a bright, expressive Rosé. It’s a finicky grape, but when it gets it right, it’s pure magic. If nothing else, it keeps things interesting.

Stay tuned for more on the wines I’ll be making for our very own wine venture. I’ll be purchasing Riesling juice from Silver Thread and Cabernet Franc grapes from Airey Acres. Lots of photos and updates to come on that front!

Cheers from the lake,
Scott