Constructing the wines of Martin Woods Winery (McMinnville, Oregon)

The high quality of the Martin Woods' wines, as tasted at Swirlery, set me on a mission to elaborate the environment and the processes that yielded these sterling wines. In my first post on the topic, I reported on the pedigree of the vineyards from which the grapes are sourced. In this post I investigate the construction of the wines that we tasted.

Evan Martin, winemaker/owner at Martin Woods

Lineup of the wines we tasted

The tools and techniques employed in constructing the wines are displayed in the table below. It should be noted that, with two exceptions, the wines are all single-vineyard; a key focus of the estate.

Techniques/Practices Employed in the Construction of the Martin Woods’ Wines Tasted at Swirlery

Wine	Press	Vessel	Fermentation	Aging  (Mths)	Barrel Type	Barrel Size (L)	Barrel Age (Years)	Lees
Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2018 (Yamhill (55%) and Havlin (45%)	Whole Cluster	Oregon Oak	Indigenous yeasts	11	Oregon Oak	228, 400	7-8	Stirring
Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2017 (Willakia)	do.	French, OR Oak	do.	9	French, OR Oak	do.	N/A	No stirring
Havlin Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017		1.5 ton open-top fermenters; 20% whole cluster/whole berries	Ind. yeasts; 17 days on skins; pumpovers & punchdowns	22 (12 on lees)	French (50%) & OR (50%) oak	228 (< 5% new)		Yes
Hyland Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017		1.5 ton open-top fermenters; 20% whole cluster/whole berries	Ind. yeasts; 15 days on skins; pumpovers & punchdowns	10	French (50%) & OR (50%) oak	228, 400		Yes
Jesse James Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017		1.5 ton open-top fermenters; 20% whole cluster/whole berries	Ind. yeasts; 17 days on skins; pumpovers & punchdowns	18 (12 on lees)	French (50%) & OR (50%) oak	10% new	2 - 10	Yes
Havlin Vineyard Gamay Noir 2017		1.5 ton open-top fermenters; 35% whole cluster/whole berries	Ind. yeasts; 14 days on skins; pumpovers & punchdowns	9	French oak	228	8	Yes
Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Franc 2017 (Seven Hills Vineyard and McClellan Estates		1.5 ton open-top fermenters; 100% destemmed	Ind. yeasts; 16 days on skins; pumpovers & punchdowns	18 (11 in barrel and 7 in Flextanks)			3 - 4	Yes
		1.5 ton open-top fermenters; 50% whole cluster	Ind. yeasts; 16 days on skins; pumpovers & punchdowns	18 (11 in barrel and 7 in Flextanks)			3 - 4	Yes
		1 ton closed-top fermenters; 100% carbonic	Ind. yeasts; 5 weeks for carbonic; pumpovers & punchdowns	18 (11 in barrel and 7 in Flextanks)			3 - 4	Yes

White Wines
The Martin Woods' Chardonnays are whole-cluster-pressed, barrel-fermented and barrel-aged on the lees. They are unfined and lightly filtered.

Whole-Cluster Pressing

According to Dawson Raspuzzi, whole-cluster pressing is employed in the making of high-end white wines. During this process the entire grape bunch is pressed very gently to release the juice. The resulting product, if the process is done properly, produces a more delicate and less astringent wine due to limited contact with those areas (skins, seeds, stems) with the highest tannin concentration. In addition to its textural contribution, whole cluster pressing increasing the juice/solids ratio as the stems facilitate the complete draining of the press cake.

Alcoholic Fermentation in Oak Barrels
According to Ibern-Gomez, et al*., "Fermentation in oak barrels leads to wines with much more complex sensory properties, largely attributed to the phenols extracted from oak wood."

In a study on barrel-fermentation of white wines (S. Herjavec, et al., The quality of white wines fermented in Croatian Oak, Food Chemistry, 100, 2007), the authors stated thusly:

One of the practices used to intensify the aroma and flavor characteristics of white wines is to ferment the must in oak barrels, and Chardonnay is one of the most suitable varieties for this. Wines produced by fermentation and maturation in oak barrels have different flavor characteristics to those which have undergone barrel maturation only after fermentation in stainless steel. One reason for this is that actively growing yeasts are capable of transforming volatile flavor components, extracted from oak wood, into other volatile metabolites.

This metabolite transformation results in what Zac Brown, Winemaker at Alderlea Vineyards, describes as "better integration of the oak and softer mouthfeel when compared to a white that is finished and then transferred into oak barrel to age."

Oak Aging
Wine is aged in wooden barrels to: (i) enhance its flavor, aroma, and complexity through transfer of substances from the wood to the wine; and (ii) allow gradual oxidation of the wine.

In the first instance, many of the wood's native aromatic compounds, as well as the aromatic compounds created during seasoning and toasting, are absorbed, and integrated, into the wine, thus contributing to wine richness and aromatic complexity. As noted by Dr. Murli Dharmadikari, common descriptors of oak-aged wines are oaky, vanilla, smoky, toasty, spicy, and coconut.

In terms of gradual oxidation, wine loss from barrels amount to approximately 2% per year, resulting from the fact that water and ethanol are smaller molecules and will diffuse into the wood and, ultimately, escape as vapor.  If the air in the cellar is dry, more water is lost and the wine is more concentrated in terms of alcohol.  If the environment is too humid then more alcohol is lost, reducing the ethanol content in the remaining wine.  This loss of liquid opens up a space between the wine surface and the barrel which the winemaker generally "tops up" in order to prevent oxidation and acetic spoilage.  During this "topping-up" process, small amounts of oxygen are dissolved in the wine.  Oxygen is also introduced into the wine during winery operations such as filtering and racking.

The oxygen which is now in the wine reacts with resident phenolic compounds in a manner such that: (i) tannins are softened (polymerization and precipitation as well as tannin-polysaccharide combinations); (ii) complex aromas develop; and (iii) there is improvement in the wine's body and mouthfeel.  It should be noted here that the tannin resident in the wine at this time is the oak tannin absorbed from the barrel (30% from the innermost four millimeters of wood).

In the aforementioned Herjavec, et al., study, the authors found that the sensorial characteristics of barrel-aged wines were modified, due to the wood-derived compounds. These wines manifested roundness in taste with a complex retro nasal aroma." Barrel toast also affected flavor perception: aging in medium-toast barrels yielded a smoky, roasted, and raw oak flavor while light toast resulted in a more fruity aroma.

Cooperage
The oak used in the maturation of alcoholic beverages fall into one of three species: Quercus alba, Quercus robur, and Quercus sessilis.  Q. robur and Q. sessilis, and their respective subspecies, are European white oaks while Q. alba is the source of 45% of the white oak lumber produced in the US.  American oak used in barrel production is sourced from Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, and Michigan but there is no apparent regional distinction.  European oak, on the other hand, may have designations which reach all the way to the forest from which the oak originated.  For example, French oak from the department of Alliers may be sourced from a forest named Tronçais.

It should be noted that Martin Woods utilizes Oregon Oak in its elevage, a practice I had not previously encountered. Subsequent research has shown that this oak species (Quercus garryana) has characteristics and chemistry similar to European oak and "if very well seasoned the resulting wine might benefit substantially rather like one of the features  of French oak" (http://www.oregonbarrelworks.com/Oregonoak.html). Martin Woods restricts the use of new oak to 5% or less.

Lees Aging

Murli Dharmadhikan (Yeast Autolysis, extension.iastste.edu) defines yeast autolysis as "... self-destruction of the cellular constituents of a cell by its own enzymes" following its death. Figure 1 below shows the component parts of a healthy yeast cell while Figure 2 shows an overview of the process  -- autolysis -- that occurs once that yeast cell has consumed all of the available nutrients and dies. At a high level, autolysis encompasses (i) the degradation of intracellular materials and (ii) degradation of the cell wall.

The detailed autolysis process is shown in Figure 3 below. The yeast extract, product of the degradation of intra-cellular material, is confined to the cell until such time as the cell wall becomes porous enough to allow the material to seep out. It should be noted that degradation and compound creation continues outside the degraded cell walls.

Figure 3. Details of yeast autolysis

The lees-aged wine is enriched by the compounds released during the constituent-degradation process.

Red Wines
There is no pre-fermentation cold soak nor is any sulfur added anywhere in the processing. The red wines are mostly whole-cluster-fermented for 14 -17 days with indigenous yeasts in open-top fermenters after which they are transferred to cooperage for elévage. The exception is the Cabernet Franc which is fermented differentially in both closed and open-top fermenters. The benefits that accrue to the white wines from oak usage in elévage are relevant here also.

Whole Cluster Fermentation

Paul Adams (SevenfiftyDaily) identifies the following benefits from whole-cluster fermentation:

• Influences the tannin character of the wine (due to stem inclusion)
• Less intense color but the color that is there is more stable in that it is bound with the tannins
• Provides air space among the grapes and creates channels for juice to flow and circulate
• Helps dissipate the heat created by fermentation.

There is no pump over or punch downs for 7 - 10 days thus allowing carbonic maceration.  There is one punchdown per day after this initial period.

Carbonic Maceration

In this method of vinification the grapes are hand-picked in whole bunches and placed serially into the fermentation tank.  The weight of the most recently placed grapes causes the lower bunches to burst and the juice that is released begins to ferment.  The carbon dioxide that is released during this process causes in-berry fermentation and the production of brightly colored, low-tannin wines with a characteristic fruity flavor. 

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Over two posts I have described the sources of the grapes and the winemaking process of Martin Woods Winery. Both elements are of the highest order and clearly explain the quality that the final product displays. The practices are in line with the best winemaking are in line with the best in Burgundy and is innovative in its extensive use of Oregon Oak in fermentation and elévage.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

A tasting of Martin Woods (McMinnville, Oregon) wines: Fruit sources

Swilery, one of my favorite hometown wine bars, has been working with its distributors to provide focused tastings with artisanal winemakers from around the world. A case in point -- and the subject of this post -- was the early-November tasting of the wines of Martin Woods, a small Oregon-based producer of, primarily, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winery was represented by Evan Martin who owns the enterprise along with his wife Sarah.

Evan Martin (Owner/Winemaker at Martin Woods), Natasia Lynn
And Frank Zaun (Terroir Selections)

I have not delved into the wines of Oregon at any depth and was very impressed with the offerings at this tasting. We sampled two Chardonnays, three Pinot Noirs, one Gamay, and a Cabernet Franc from the Walla Walla Valley AVA and the results drove me to further explore the source(s) of their quality. This exploration will be rolled out over two posts: this one, dealing with fruit sources, and a subsequent post detailing key aspects of the Martin Woods winemaking process.

Martin Woods' goal, according to Evan, is the production of single-vineyard wines with a sense of place, "textural elegance," "expressive aromas," and with long aging potential. High quality fruit is a key part of any winemaker's success and, if the winery does not grow its own, the winemaker has to be diligent to ensure reliable sources with verifiable track records and vineyard management practices that align with his/her philosophy.

Fruit for the Martin Woods wines are purchased from the Willamette Valley and Walla Walla Valley vineyards identified in the two charts below and are discussed further in the text following.

• The Willakis Vineyard, sole source of the fruit for the Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay, is owned by Erath Winery, itself a major producer of Oregon wines. The 298-acre hillside estate has 19 acres devoted to Chardonnay vines and 100 acres devoted to Pinot Noir. Willakia is 100% sustainably farmed and is certified by the LIVE and Salmon Safe programs.
• Yamhill Valley Vineyards, another Chardonnay source, was originally planted (34 acres) to Pinot Noir in 1983. The area under vines has since expanded to 150 acres and Chardonnay vines.
• Havlin Vineyard is a source of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. This vineyard was first planted (10 acres) in 2008 with the Pinot Noir clones Pommard, 115, and 777. The vineyard has since expanded to 40 acres.
• Hyland Vineyards, located in the foothills of the Coast Range, is one of Oregon's oldest and most storied vineyards. First planted in 1971, it sits on 200 acres -- 180 under vine. "For decades its fruit has produced many award-winning wines from benchmark producers under their own labels."
• Seven Hills Vineyard and McClellan Estate in Walla Walla Valley are the sources for the Cabernet Franc grapes. Seven Hills was first planted in 1984 (one of the first commercial vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA), was expanded to 20 acres in 1989, and further expanded to 200 acres in 1997. Vineyard management practices include vertically trained canopies and controlled cluster spacing. The fruit from this vineyard is currently sold to 25 producers.

One of the shared experiences of the Willamette Valley vineyards shown above is the influence of the Van Duzer Corridor. This pathway through the Coast Range funnels cool marine air into the Willamette Valley from the Pacific Ocean 30 miles to the west. This air moderates temperatures which, in turn, delays fruit ripening and preserves acidity. A specific component of the Van Duzer Corridor, lying between the McMinnville and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs, has been designated as an AVA. The main characteristics of the new AVA is captured in the chart below.

The fruit from these organically farmed vineyards are purchased under long-term contracts. It appears as though the fruit sources for the Martin Woods wines have the appropriate pedigree.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme