Happenings at 4.0 Cellars
Aging Wine on the Lees
Recently the question was asked of me, “What are lees, and why do winemakers age wine on the lees?” First of all, lees are essentially dead yeast cells that have already done their job of fermenting sugar in grape juice into alcohol in wine. Once the fermentation process is completed, these dead yeast cells, let’s call them lees from this point on, begin to settle to the bottom of tank or barrel, allowing cloudy wine to become clear over time. Discussed below are several options that the winemaker now has regarding handling lees, and some technical descriptions of what lees actually do for and to a wine. Continue »
Apr 24, 2019 at 12:10 PM
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Springtime in Texas: Wildflowers and Wine
I feel sorry for anyone who hasn’t experienced the beauty of spring in the Texas Hill Country. Yes, the pollen is annoying (as are the allergies that come with it), and some days it’s hard to know how to dress (by my count, we just had our “fourth winter” of the year). But on the good days, it’s hard to beat our gentle breezes, warm sunshine, and of course, our flowers. Continue »
Pink Wines – Hot in Texas (Update 2019)
Warm weather is the time to enjoy pink wines, and Texas is now producing some of the best available. These pink wines can be dry, off-dry (slightly sweet) or medium-dry (even sweeter) to provide great warm-weather enjoyment for picnics, deck-sitting or lazing about the pool area. And, don’t forget, they can take the place of white wines and many lighter reds at the mealtime table. Continue »
4.0 Celebrates Dogs
We love having dogs at 4.0. Our hostesses keep a jar of dog treats at their stand, and we know many of our club members’ dogs by name. On a typical spring Saturday, it’s not unusual to find staff members starting the day with a friendly bet: How many dogs will we see today? 12? 15? 20? Usually, the biggest number wins. Continue »
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