El Dorado Harvest Continues, Producing Grapes for Award Winning Wines

For most grape varieties in El Dorado County, harvest is well on its way to completion.  The rain during the end of the third week of September presented growers with some concern, but most vineyard owners got ahead of the weather.

 
Thomas Coyne Winery, Livermore, is one happy beneficiary of the 2013 El Dorado County grape harvest.

Bob Scharpf of Quartz Hill Vineyard sent this report: 

Petit Syrah, courtesy Snooth.com

“As luck would have it, I managed to get the Petit Syrah in the day before the rain. The brix was 28, pH 3.4 and acid .7. Coyne Winery was delighted to get it at this stage. Except for some sunburn, the grapes came in better than expected at this early date.

 

“Some Merlot was still hanging at that time in September, but it survived the rain with no problems. The remainder of the Merlot was picked on Sept 25-- high sugar, high pH, and low acid. Good for a full bodied wine.”

The Quartz Hill Vineyard grapes from past harvests have found their way into an award-winning wine at Thomas Coyne Winery.  From the winery website:

“2007 Petite Sirah, El Dorado - $20.00 (Released - May 2013) Silver Medal - Orange County Fair

The grapes for this wine were grown by Bob and Margot Scharpf in the Sierra foothills of El Dorado County. After crush, the wine was fermented and aged in American oak barrels for eighteen months. The wine is full-bodied with blackberry and pepper, followed by a rich oak finish.”

A sneak peak at the new winery
for Thomas Coyne in Livermore 

Thomas Coyne Winery produces award winning Rhone Style and Merlot wines.   They have a loyal following, and next week they are moving to a new location, still in Livermore, but now they’ll be at 2405 Research Drive. 

 

 

Quartz Hill Vineyard is a member of the El Dorado Wine Grape Growers Association.