The Color of Glass

The Color of Glass

The last step in wine-making

Nick and Sheryl at Elk Cove Vineyards bottling operation, run by Adam Campbell and José Sotto.

We’re thrilled to share with you a milestone in our reinvention of Kristof Farms: the bottling of our first wines. The farm has been in our family for more than half a century, but we only decided to plant grapes in 2018, and wine – it takes time. Our first grape harvest was in 2022, and the grapes have been fermenting in tanks since then under the supervision of our maestro, Adam Campbell, a neighbor who runs Elk Cove Vineyard. We’ve been admirers of Adam’s magic since we were Japan correspondents for the New York Times and one of his wines was chosen for Bill Clinton’s State Dinner for the Emperor of Japan, and we’re so lucky that he is making our wines.

And bottling them! Sheryl and Nick dropped by for the bottling of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines at Elk Cove, and it was exhilarating to see the bottles filled, corked and boxed, with labels that we had spent so much time designing — not to mention the wine that took months to nurture! The wines still will mature in the bottle and we won’t begin to ship them until next March, when we release Kristof Wines.

Sheryl stands near the start of the bottling operation at Elk Cove Vineyards

Here’s a bit about the process. Bottling is a critical step in preserving the quality of the wine and protecting against oxidation, so that it reaches consumers tasting delicious – and untouched by human hands. And a hallmark of that is keeping the bottling process clean.

In the first step, called bottle sparging, new bottles are pumped with nitrogen or carbon dioxide to dissolve oxygen and minimize oxygen pickup, which can impair the flavor of the wine. Then a tube connected to the fermentation vessels immediately pumps wine into the bottles. In the photo below, see the Kristof Chardonnay in bottles heading into labeling:

Kristof Chardonnay has just been poured into Antique Green bottles and capped at Elk Cove Vineyards’ bottling operation.

The bottle helps protect the wine from falling flat. Darkened glass protects against UV sunlight, which creates a sunlight flavor or a “light-struck” taste, when the sun’s UV rays strike a bottle and activate the wine’s riboflavin (yes, Vitamin B2) and pantothenic acid (yes, Vitamin B5) to produce sulfur compounds.

Three hours of sunlight flooding a clear bottle of wine will ruin the wine, which may smell like rotting leaves or wet wool. Red wine in a green bottle can get damaged in 18 hours. Even UV ceiling lights can impair wine, so the safest are LEDs. Emitting little heat, LEDs also help prevent against “heat-struck” wine. If your wine was in your car on a summer’s day, and it tastes a bit like vinegar, it’s been “cooked.”

At the corking stage, a touch of nitrogen or carbon dioxide is pumped in again at the top of the bottle, which is then corked. Finally, the cap and cover are put on, the labels attached carefully, and the bottles are inspected and then packed into cases and loaded onto pallets.

Nick and Sheryl with two new Kristof Pinot Noir bottles

Just between us, both the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay seem extremely promising. That wasn’t entirely a surprise, for our terroir is just right – akin to WillaKenzie sedimentary soils, 670 feet of elevation, southern exposure, all in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA known for great wines – plus the vines are tended by the pros at Results Partners and expertly turned into wine by Adam Campbell. But we had been a bit nervous: What if things go wrong?

They didn’t. We’ve had sneak tastings with Adam and other vintners, and we think people will love both the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Psst…For those of you who got this far, we may soon open pre-orders for Kristof Wine!

And in the meantime, you might try our delicious cider. Click here to order Kristof Farms cider. Try a case, which will get you cut-rate shipping!

2022 Taster's 12-Pack - shipping discount!

This Taster’s 12-pack is a case with an assortment of our favorites: six Orchard Ciders, four Reserve Ciders, and two Noir Ciders. PLUS! GET 30% OFF SHIPPING AT CHECKOUT!

Orchard Cider - a field blend of our dozen varieties of traditional cider varieties of apples. Rather than eating apples, which commercial cider companies use, our apples are heirloom British and French varieties like Kingston Black, Michelin, Dabinett, Wickson Crab and Harrison. It is a dry and complex. Nick prefers dry ciders, so this has been his favorite.

Reserve Cider - Our Reserve Cider starts with the Orchard Cider and then is sweetened with ice cider from Bauman’s Cider. Some people call it semi-dry, and others think of it as semi-sweet. It’s then aged in oak barrels, which give it an additional resonance. This is Sheryl’s favorite cider.

Noir Cider -- Our Noir cider is our newest creation. We took our orchard cider and fermented it with the skins of our 2022 Pinot Noir grapes, shortly after the grapes were pressed. And for those wondering about our grapes: our 2022 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines will be available in early 2024. Noir tastes like a dry cider, but with a luscious infusion of Pinot Noir that also darkens the cider’s hue. Caroline, Adam and Geoffrey call this their favorite.

Which one is your favorite? Try a tasting with your friends and please let us know!

$315.00

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Reply to this email with any questions. We hope you enjoy!! <3