Sunday, October 14, 2007

Punch Down Tool & Stomping

Recent activity on this blog reveals an interest in Punch Down tools and Stomping Grape by foot. Luckily, Via Vecchia, always authentic, can offer you true grit on both topics. When we say we do it by hand and it's crafted, it is. Where else could you see punch down using your arms or stomping by feet?

1. Truly hand (arm) crafting the wine.
From last year check out this most manual of punch downs where it's literally all elbow-grease.(you may have to scroll down a bit).

2. Evolution.
From this year, see evolution in action as we learn to use a tool, which is a highly specialised stainless steel disk on a stick.
punch down tool

See it in operation as it punches the grape skins and seeds (the "must" or "cap" or "marca") down into the wine, which is becoming less like grape juice with each passing day.



3. Stomp Grape by Foot.

Now for stomping. We always do a bit of this, and here's a photo. Maybe if there's still enough interest we'll do a compilation of foot stomping over the years. And of course, stomping is communal, as demonstrated by N&J below, who are incredibly good sports and were such a lot of help.
communal grape stomp

Other Matters.

Of other matters, we transferred from primary fermentation vessels to secondary fermentation vessels over friday evening and saturday. More of that in a later post.

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