Barrel tasting results are in!

With over thirty barrels to taste and eight different varieties, the 5th annual Still Waters Vineyards Roll out the Barrels tasting was a BLAST! This year we had two sessions and over 150 club members helping us taste the 2011 wines.

This event is typically a tasting of our Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Due to the fact that 2011 was an interesting year. we decided to bring in some Rhone varieties also. At Still Waters, we let Mother Nature play a huge roll in the way our wines taste from year to year and the growing season can completely change how a vintage of wines will develop.

The 2011 growing season started our perfect. We had four inches of rain in late December 2010, which was followed by two inches of rain on January 2nd. From February 1st to the 10th we had many days in the 70’s. Finally, we say five inches of rain in March and had a perfectly timed bud break on April 2nd. Unfortunately, all of that great spring weather came to a screeching halt! We experienced three days of temperatures below 28 degrees after bud break from April 7th to the 9th. We lost 50% of that year’s crop in just three days. YIKES!

So what does all this men for the 2011 vintage? It means these wines will be very different than past wines since all the fruit comes from the secondary fruit the vines produced. The wines will be higher in acid, dryer, lower in alcohol and less fruit forward. You will find them very food friendly, easy to enjoy and they should be able to age for years.

The following chart shows where each barrel that was available to taste ranked overall. Thanks to all who attended. We had the very best time and truly appreciate your help.. We look forward to tasting the final product!