The Hillside Blog

Preparing the Vineyard for Harvest

Now what is happening in the vineyard?(are we there yet???!!!) The vines right now are in a lag phase when they soak up sunlight and slowly create the precursor substances that will contribute to ripening. Not much change is evident until veraison occurs. This is when the berry starts to change colour, soften and sweeten,…

Summer in the Cellar

Hot time summer in the cellar… …haha not at Hillside! Our 60-foot tower acts as a ventilation shaft, channeling warm air out of the cellar, while the rock walls built into the Hillside (see what we did there?!) insulate the room. Along with our super-efficient tank cooling jackets this keeps the cellar air temperature generally…

Summer In The Vineyard

What is happening in the vineyard? Well…so much has happened since we last talked! The vines have gone from bare trunks with 2 or 3 shoots to a lush jungle of green. Bud Break occurred in the first week of May (about a week later than “normal”) pushing tiny leaves up out of the shoot…

Why We Use Oak In Winemaking: Part 3

Part 3 of 3: Why do we use oak in winemaking? The red edition… The use of oak in winemaking is so much more about structure than flavour: Red wines are aged (not “fermented”) in oak. The barrels are filled after fermentation and extended skin contact are completed—this is 20-30 days post-harvest. We try to…

Why We Use Oak In Winemaking: Part 2

Part 2 of 3: Why do we use oak in winemaking? The white edition… Wooden barrels are used in winemaking for benefits that far outweigh simple flavour contribution from the oak. Wine changes by virtue of being in a small wooden vessel. These changes can be physical – the actual evaporation of small amounts ofwater/alcohol…

Why We Use Oak in Winemaking: Part 1

Part 1 of 3: How Different Oak Barrels Affect the Flavour and Structure of the Wine. Oak tanks and barrels have been used in winemaking for millennia, initially as a useful storage vessel. With the advent of stainless steel, wooden tanks were used less as stainless is much easier to maintain and keep sanitary. Almost…