(Tom is out consulting, so assistant winemaker, Jason Gerard, talks about myths of merriment. Read on.)
There is a myth in the winemaking industry that during the summer, winemakers spend their “work” hours golfing, frolicking through vineyards and praying to ancient American deities to bless them with perfect ripening weather…..cause hey, what else do we have to do until harvest hits? Though this may hold true to a lucky few, generally the so-called “off-season” in the wine industry is anything but a slow time.
The summer at Tom Eddy wines proves to be a critical time for making blends and preparing wines long aged in barrel for bottling. This summer is no different and just this afternoon Tom and I are reviewing and finalizing the 2006 Tom Eddy Cabernet Sauvignon which we will bottle within a month. It is vital at this stage to ensure that the wine is where we want it to be while always looking to the future by projecting how the wine will age based on how it tastes at the this stage. We will bottle the 2006 Tom Eddy Cabernet this summer, but the wine will age in bottle for 2 to 3 years before being released and even after being released the wine will be aged by Cabernet connoisseurs for decades to come.
Because of this all the blending and bottling decisions at this phase are so critical, once the wine is in the bottle it is a done deal and there is no turning back. Tom and I pretty much ensure that not a molecule is out of place in the blend before putting it in a bottle. This involves months of tasting, blending and decision-making that will impact the future of Tom Eddy wines….the pressure is on, the adrenaline is high and this proves to be one of the most fun moments in winemaking, putting the final product together with a smile on your face so you can’t wait until the customers get to try this wine that we have put so much of ourselves into and a wine we care about like it was our child.
The 2006 Tom Eddy Cabernet Sauvignon is extra special for me….this is the first vintage I worked for Tom and this is the first Cabernet from my first vintage that we will bottle. In other words, this is one of my babies and if you could see my face when people taste the wine it is as if I were showing them pictures of my new born. This is what winemaking at Tom Eddy is about…blood, sweat, tears, passion and pure joy and being only days removed from my 3rd year anniversary working for Tom, I can truly say what an honor it is to be a part of making such classic and world class wines. Jason