FAQ
When is harvest?
First, grapes yield only one crop per year. Grape harvest for us usually starts the first week in September and lasts until the end of October. The Foch, which is one of the grapes in our Harvest Red, is the first grape variety to be picked and once in awhile it actually is picked during the last week of August. The grapes that go into our oak-aged reds like Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are the last grapes to be picked and we typically wait until the first frost to pick them. In some years, therefore, this means that we are picking into November. The timing of picking depends obviously on the ripeness of the grapes, but also on the weather. We can tell when the grapes are ripe when the sugar percentage rises and the acid level lowers. The seeds start turning from green to brown and most importantly, the flavors develop. The weather plays an important role because we do not want to pick in the rain or following a rain event; the grapevines will soak up the water and dilute the grapes. Rain can also cause disease issues. All of our grapes are picked by hand (as our wonderful volunteer pickers know!). Some larger vineyards harvest by machine, which mechanically knocks the grapes off the vine and collects them. Finally yet importantly, contrary to I Love Lucy, nobody stomps the grapes with their feet after they are picked!
Why do we use synthetic corks at Kobayashi Winery?
The main reason is the problem of "cork taint" with natural cork. People say a bottle of wine is "corked" when it has this problem. Cork taint occurs when compounds found in natural cork react with molds and chlorine in the environment resulting in development of a compound called 2, 4, 6-trichloroanisole (TCA). TCA causes problems at concentrations as low as a few parts per trillion (a few grains of salt in an Olympic-size swimming pool). In the worst case, TCA causes a wine to have moldy and musty off-aromas and flavors, making the wine undrinkable. A mild TCA contamination may just leave the wine muted with an absence of fruit. Experts’ estimate that somewhere between 1% and 8% of corks is tainted which is why we have moved away from using natural cork. The two main alternatives are synthetic corks and screw caps and the main hurdle with screw caps is consumer acceptance. So, until people stop associating screw caps with jug wines (and until we can afford a new screw cap machine), we will keep using synthetic corks because we hate corked wines!
What are sulfites and should we be concerned about them?
Sulfites are a class of compounds added to wine and other foods as a preservative. They are natural compounds that have been used as an anti-oxidant and anti-microbial agent in wines since early-recorded history. Concern arose over sulfites when people got sick by eating food at salad bars that was treated with very high levels of sulfites. There are some misconceptions about sulfites that we will try to clear up:
All wines contain sulfites? red, white, French, American, Australian, etc. Yeast naturally produces sulfites during fermentation. Nearly all winemakers add sulfites, including those from all over the world. The U.S. Government requires wine sold in the U.S. to label wine if it contains sulfites. If you drink foreign wine while abroad, you are not being warned, but the wine still contains sulfites. Organic wine must be made without added sulfites, but these wines are quite perishable. The level of sulfites in wine is very small, especially when compared to other foods. Typical levels in wines are about 80. 100 ppm (parts per million). Dried fruit, such as apples and apricots are typically packaged with 500. 2000-ppm sulfites.
Research has shown that sulfites do not cause headaches. There is something in red wine linked to headaches, but the cause has not yet been found. We recommend drinking extra water when you drink wine, simply to avoid dehydration, which can cause headaches.
What are tannins in wine?
Tannins are compounds in wine that dry out your mouth; in fact, many people get the terms “dry” and “tannic” confused for that reason. Dry simply means a lack of sweetness. Tannic means a noticeable level of tannins. They are detectable because they bind with the proteins in your mouth leaving a dry, puckering sensation. These compounds are present in the skins and seeds of grapes. Red wines have more tannins than whites do since red grapes are fermented in contact with the skins and seeds. Winemakers, who want to get more tannin in their red wines, will leave the wine on the skins and seeds for a long period of time during fermentation. Winemakers who want less tannin may use fining agents to remove tannins from a wine. Tannins are also present in oak, so wines that are aged in oak barrels tend to be more tannic due to the tannins extracted from the barrel.
Tannins are a part of a group of compounds called Phenolics and have antioxidant properties, which have been in the news lately because of the health benefits. The amount of tannins that people like in a wine is a very subjective thing. Some people like more than others. The type of food you are eating with a wine may also determine your enjoyment level regarding tannins. At Kobayashi Winery, we tend to make our wines with relatively low levels of tannins.
How long should a wine be aged?
We hear this question all the time and the answer is quite complicated. But basically, it really depends on the type of wine, how it’s made and personal preference. Let us discuss each of these three factors one at a time.
The type of wine is very important when considering how long to hold a wine before drinking it. As wine ages, it tends to lose fruit and gain complexity. Typically, fruit wines and most white wines should be consumed young before they lose a lot of fruit character. Oak-aged white wines like Chardonnay can sometimes be held longer because they have acquired some tannin from the barrels that give them some aging capacity. Red wines can typically be aged longer than white wines, although there are exceptions. Certain specialty wines, like Vintage Port, can be aged for a very long time. The grape variety and the location of the vineyard plays a critical role when determining aging capacity; a big Cabernet Sauvignon made from grapes grown in Bordeaux will last much longer than a fruity Concord made from grapes grown in Pennsylvania.
Winemaking practices have an effect on aging capacity of wine. Factors that affect the aging potential such as levels of acid, alcohol, sugar and tannins can be manipulated by winemakers. Taking tannins that we discussed in last months’ Question of the Month as an example, a winemaker may leave the wine in contact with the skins during fermentation for a few weeks to make a highly tannic red wine. Alternately, there are fining agents that can be used to remove tannins to make a less tannic wine. A highly tannic wine will taste much better after years of aging because upon aging, tannins bind together and create a softer, more drinkable wine.
Possibly, the most important factor when deciding on how long to age a wine is personal preference. Some people prefer fruit-forward wines while other people will exchange fruit for complexity. Some people like tannins while others do not like that puckering sensation that tannins can cause. The list goes on. Preferences can also be affected by what you are eating with the wine, but that is another topic!
So what do we recommend for our wines? All of our fruit wines and white wines will be best if consumed within 1 year. The exception would be our oak-aged Chardonnay which some may prefer with another year of aging. The fruity red wines like the Harvest Red, Concord and Chambourcin also fall into the 1-year category. Our dry, oak-aged reds like the Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and the Meritage are made to be consumed upon release, but will also do well with up to 2 or 3 years of aging. Our Port definitely needs a year or two of aging before reaching its peak and should be drunk within 5 years.
What is the best way to store unopened wine?
Wine should be stored in a cool location where a constant temperature is maintained. Heat is a wine's enemy so no matter how nice it looks; do not install a wine rack in a cabinet above your stove or refrigerator! High temperatures make a wine age must faster than normal. Fluctuations in temperatures force air in and out of the bottle and can cause rapid aging due to exposure to oxygen. Wine coolers are a great way to store wine, but are rather expensive. Usually, a nice, cool basement is a good location for wine storage.
One other thing to remember when storing wine with natural cork is that the cork must be kept wet. That means the wine either needs to be stored on its side or upside down. If the cork dries out, air can get into the bottle easier and cause spoilage. Wines with synthetic corks or screw caps can be stored in any position.
How long will a bottle of wine last after it is opened?
After a bottle of wine is opened, the wine is immediately exposed to oxygen, which causes spoilage reactions to occur. If an opened bottle with headspace is left out on the counter in your kitchen, the wine’s flavor will start to change and the wine may spoil in a few days. Spoilage does not mean that the wine is harmful to drink; in this context, it could mean anything from vinegar to just not “tasting good” anymore.
So how do you make an opened bottle of wine last longer? You can do two major things. The first is to chill it by putting it into the refrigerator; with red wine, you would just need to allow enough time to warm the wine up before serving again. The second is to remove the oxygen. The pump apparatus that people use helps a bit because it removes some of the air, but you cannot create enough of a vacuum to remove all of the oxygen. Spraying compressed gas (Private Reserve for example) into the bottle helps also because you are replacing oxygen with an inert gas like nitrogen or argon. Nevertheless, the absolute best way to remove the oxygen is to pour the remaining wine into another smaller container. Our suggestion is to get a 375-mL bottle (half-size bottle) and when you open a bottle that you will not finish, pour half of it into the smaller bottle. That leaves two glasses for now and two glasses for later!
What is Malolactic Fermentation?
Malolactic (often shortened to ML) fermentation, sometimes called the secondary fermentation, typically follows the primary fermentation (where the yeast converts sugar to alcohol). In this ML fermentation, bacteria convert malic acid in the wine to lactic acid, thereby reducing acidity and making the wine softer. Sometimes these bacteria produce a buttery or butterscotch character during the fermentation. ML bacteria are added to certain wines depending on the desired style. At Kobayashi Winery, we put all of the dry reds through ML including the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Meritage and Chambourcin. The only white that typically is put through ML is the Chardonnay; the butterscotch character that may be noticeable in the Chardonnay is due to the ML fermentation. The Pinot Grigio may or may not be put through ML depending on the acidity. Fruity wines like the Riesling or Vidal Blanc will not get ML bacteria added, because we do not want anything to take away from the fruit.
Do you actually add any of the flavors to the wine that you describe in the tasting notes?
The answer is that we never add any flavorings to our wine - all the flavors that are described occur naturally from the grapes themselves, either the yeast during fermentation, or oak barrels during aging. For example, even though most of our wines are made from grapes, other fruits like strawberry, cherry, raspberry, and blackberry emerge from the grape during fermentation. These fruit flavors and aromas are very subtle most of the time, but often you can detect them when you are looking for them. Other aromas and flavors, like butterscotch for example, are caused by malolactic bacteria during a secondary fermentation (see website for last month's question of the month). Wines that are aged in oak, like the Cabernet Franc and Merlot, exhibit aromas of vanilla and toasty wood, which are extracted from the barrel into the wine during the aging process. Certain types of grapes make wines with distinct characteristics. As an example, Gewurztraminer, a white grape, will often make a wine that has aromas of rose petals and lychee nuts. Pinot Noir, a red grape, may contain aromas of strawberries, mushrooms and violets. So next time you've got a glass of wine in front of you, open your mind to all of the many possible flavors and aromas, and see if that changes your wine-drinking experience!
What is ice wine?
Ice wine (or Eiswein in Germany) is a term referring to a rich, sweet dessert wine made from grapes that have been picked frozen on the vine and pressed before they thaw. Since a lot of the water present in the grapes is frozen and stays in the press, the resulting juice is very concentrated, yielding high sugars and acids. The wine made from this juice is very concentrated and flavorful, the high level of sweetness balanced out by the high acidity. Ice wine is typically very expensive because of the low yields that occur from pressing frozen grapes. Temperatures of 18 degrees Fahrenheit are needed to freeze the grapes on the vine, which should explain why we, at Kobayashi Winery, do not make it - we are a bit too far south to get these temperatures on a consistent basis.
Ice wine is traditionally made from German white grape varieties such as Riesling. Ontario, Canada has made a name for itself by making ice wine out of Vidal Blanc. There is a bit of a controversy in the ice wine world regarding cryo-extracted or "freezer wines" where the grapes are picked and put in a freezer before they are pressed. Some countries, such as Canada and Germany, have laws forbidding labeling these types of wines ice wines. However, it is made, ice wine makes a wonderful dessert wine and, if the global warming trend reverses, maybe we can make it someday!
What do oak barrels contribute to a wine and what is the difference between French and American oak?
White oak is the favorite wood used in barrels and imparts both flavors and tannins to wine. Typical oak flavors include vanilla, toast and smoke. The barrels lose their ability to impart flavors after 3 to 5 years of use and the oak character diminishes each year. Wineries that use new oak every year need to charge more for the wine because barrels are so expensive; a typical American barrel costs about $350 while French barrels can cost over $700. Many winemakers think that American oak has a stronger, sweeter character than its French counterpart. The other major region of the world that supplies oak for barrels is Hungary and Hungarian oak barrels seem to have a more smoky character than others do. Most of the oak in America comes from Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio, but it turns out that the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania are a great source for slow-growing oak and companies are starting to make PA barrels. Most of the barrels we use at Kobayashi Winery are Pennsylvania oak barrels for a truly PA product. French oak is used in our Pinot Noir and Hungarian oak is used in our Merlot, but PA oak dominates the Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Meritage!
Why are there different shapes and colors of wine bottles?
Some wine bottle shapes and colors are based on tradition such as the use of dark green high-shouldered bottles in the Bordeaux region of France. Therefore, most of the world's wineries use these bottles when bottling "Bordeaux" varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Sloped-shouldered bottles are used throughout the Burgundy and Rhone regions in France to bottle varieties associated with these areas like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Other countries typically follow suit when bottling these varieties with the notable exception of Australia, who bottles their Shiraz (same grape as Syrah) in Bordeaux-style bottles. The tall, slender hock or flute style of bottle is used in Germany and Alsace and is associated with varieties grown there such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer; the hock bottles are brown in the Rhine region of Germany and green in the Mosel region. Some bottles have punts or an indentation at the bottom of the bottle - this does not serve much purpose in still wine except for presentation, but is important to reinforce the bottle to withstand pressure in sparkling wine. For hybrid varieties without the tradition history, anything goes! Therefore, we put our Vidal Blanc in a bright blue hock bottle just for the fun of it.
Why does wine cause headaches?
There are a few reasons why drinking wine could cause a headache and the answer really depends on the individual. The first cause is simply dehydration. Not keeping your body hydrated when drinking any alcohol can cause a headache. The second cause is tannins. Tannins, which are found in the skins of grapes and are the compound that causes your mouth to feel dry and puckery when you're drinking red wine, have been shown to make the body release serotonins and high levels of serotonins can cause headaches. Tannins are present at much higher levels in red wine than in white wine, so if only red wine gives you headaches, tannins may be the cause. The third potential cause is histamines. Histamines are also present in the skins of grapes and the fact that some people lack an enzyme to break down histamines efficiently has led researchers to believe that histamines can contribute to headaches. This theory, however, has been questioned based on other studies that have not supported it. Once again, only red wines would cause headaches if histamines were the culprit. The last potential cause of headaches is sulfites. This theory is questionable, however, because typically, white wine contains more sulfites than red wine and red wine is usually to blame for headaches. In addition, a more typical response to sulfites is respiratory problems rather than headaches.
So what should you do if you get headaches? I personally make sure that I drink one glass of water for each glass of wine consumed. If you think tannins may be the cause, try to choose red wines that are lower in tannin content; for example, drink Chambourcin instead of Cabernet Sauvignon. The histamine hypothesis people believe that taking anti-histamine before drinking wine could help. Obviously, asking the advice of your doctor would be a good idea. Another good idea would be to keep a log of which wines that you drink and see if any kind of pattern of headaches emerges - hopefully you are favorite wines are not the culprits!
At what temperature should wines be served?
Everyone knows that you chill whites and you do not chill reds. However, the problem with that simplistic rule is that white wines generally are served too cold and red wines too warm. A good rule of thumb is to take white wines out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving and pop the red wines into the fridge 20 minutes before serving. Ideal serving temperatures for white wines are around 45-55 degrees; if they are too cold, they are refreshing but can lose some of their taste. Most red wines are best when served at about 65 degrees, which typically is a little cooler than room temperature. An exception to this rule of thumb is sparkling wine, which should be chilled thoroughly before popping the cork in order to prevent gushing and losing a good portion of the bottle.
What does it mean to let a wine breathe?
You have probably watched someone open a bottle of wine and instead of pouring into your glass for consumption, letting it sit in order for it to “breathe”. Is it necessary? For some wines, the answer is yes! Allowing a wine to breathe simply means contacting it with some air for a period of time. This can be accomplished by either pouring the bottle into a decanter or simply pouring the wine into glasses, allowing a lot of air space. Sometimes a wine is described as “closed” immediately upon opening meaning the flavors are somewhat masked. Red wines that are a bit tannic can benefit from breathing because the air contact will soften the tannins. Be careful not to let an older wine breathe too long because it can deteriorate quite rapidly. In addition, how long should you let a wine breathe? The answer, of course, depends on the wine; experimentation is key. If the wine tastes good immediately upon opening, by all means, drink it right away. Nevertheless, if the wine tastes harsh or lacking in flavor, pour some into a glass and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes and try it again. I always find it fascinating to see how a red wine changes in the glass with time!