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Gravity flow is being incorporated into the winemaking operation at DANCIN Vineyards outside Jacksonville to preserve qualities of the vineyard's pinot noir that can be harmed by mechanical methods. “Pinot is so fragile. It’s a delicate grape,” said winemaker Brian Denner. “If you don’t coddle it, it loses its soul and character.” A 3,000-square-foot barrel room is nearly finished on a hillside just above a similar-sized structure where wine is aged. The new building will be in use this fall when grapes are harvested. The rear of the new building sits 10 feet below the natural, sloping grade to help keep it cool. Augers and pumps that compress and push wine from one step of the process to another detract from its qualities, said owner Dan Marca. “All that pressure is hard on the wine,” said Denner. “It’s kind of like putting it through a Cuisinart.” Gravity flow has been used in the Burgundy region of France for centuries. A Google search shows that wineries in northern Oregon, noted for its pinot production, also employ the arrangement. Nearly 80 percent of the grapes grown at the 20-acre vineyard are pinot, and the remainder are chardonnay. Emphasis is on care of the grapes and keeping the product natural. Only native yeasts are used to promote fermentation and no additional yeasts are added. Minimal sulfites are added. “It’s the most difficult red wine to make. If you make a mistake, it will show up,” said Denner. “You get a healthy, happy wine with healthy, happy yeast.” Hand harvest of the grapes will likely take place the second week of September. Grapes are stemmed, sorted and processed at the crush pad adjacent to the lower building before the liquid in containers will be transported to the new barrel room. About one-quarter of the wine will come from pressing the thin grape skins, done at 1.5 bars, or 22 pounds per square inch, compared to the atmosphere’s natural 14.5-pound pressure. “We aren’t pressing it for all it's worth,” said Denner. "That's some of the best wine that comes out." When the time comes to put the wine in barrels, a 1.5-inch diameter, sanitary-grade food hose run through a larger pipe will deliver the liquid back to the lower facility. From there it will go to the cellar, where it will be stored at 68 degrees while yeasts eat the sugar to produce alcohol. DANCIN was one of 70 pinot producers worldwide invited to participate in the 30th annual International Pinot Noir Celebration held in McMinnville at the end of June. Marca said many attendees were surprised to learn that pinot was being produced in Southern Oregon. DANCIN sits on a northeast-facing slope, unlike many vineyards in the area that face south. The direction and a ridge to the west put the grapes in shade up to two hours earlier than at other vineyards. Wine Enthusiast recently scored two pinots and two chardonnays from DANCIN at 94 points, a “superb” designation. Marca and his wife, Cindy, studied winemaking at the University of California, Davis. He previously worked in construction. DANCIN’s first grapes were planted in 2009, with the first harvest the following year. Denner studied at California State University, Fresno. In his 19-year wine career, he’s worked in Paso Robles and Sonoma, Calif., Chile, and most recently in New Zealand. Tony Boom is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Reach him at [email protected] null