Several Bottles of Delicious Wines Expected from Crushing of 21 Tons Rich Grapes Having completed the crop harvest of Merlot and Norton grapes, we were delighted to know that the harvest amount came out to be 21 tons, almost sufficient for producing 18,000 bottles or 38 barrels of exotic wine. Over the past centuries, not much change has occurred in the process of winemaking. The only change that can be witnessed is in the process of grape stomping that has become more sophisticated. But actually, that may be one of the main reasons behind making the wines of Virginia amazingly popular. Unlike the grape stomping done in early 1600s, we initially remove stem from these grapes using a de-stemmer machine in our modern wine cellar. After stem removal, the grapes are kept in big size T-bins where fermentation takes place after few weeks. During fermentation, the grapes skin and seeds separate resulting in wine production. This wine is further collected in stainless steel tanks where it gets clarified. Next, the clarified wine is stored in French Oak barrels, where it undergoes the aging process for almost one year before being transferred to beautiful wine bottles.
It clearly indicates that the entire wine making process is quite lengthy one and so grapes harvested in one year are available for tasting in the next year. Merlot and Norton are the two major variety of grapes we use for wine making. Dark blue in color, Merlot is a popular variety of grapes employed for blending and varietal wines. Its considered perfect for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon on account of its softness and tendency to ripe early. Hints of plum, berry and currant are essential constituents of Merlot-based delicious wines. While relishing these wines, you can experience the aroma of vanilla, tart black cherries, currant and spice. Deep, blue-purple in color, the Norton grapes got this name from Dr. Daniel Norton as he is credited with the development of this rich variety of grapes. Besides its color, Norton grapes are known for its natural red juice that enables producing rich and balanced wine. Initially, these grapes were cultivated in Richmond. This grape variety enables making a jammy, fruit-forward wine that has high contents of anthocyanins. If you are looking for Virginia wine tours, then do attend the tastings in our pleasant tasting room that is located in the Barn's main room. Our wine tasting session remains open for wine lovers every day from 11 a.m in the morning until 15 min. before 7 p.m in the evening. However, on Fridays, tastings are conducted till 8 p.m. We offer 9 Virginia wines including 4 whites, 4 reds and 1 port-style wine, in a tasting glass for a $12 tasting fee. For more details please visit the website : http://www.wineryatbullrun.com/