2023 BOS Wine Harvest Recap
As we slide into home after Harvest, one thing is clear about the 2023 vintage...the quality is excellent across the board. Because we had such a hot and dry August and September, we could pick exactly when we wanted, which is only sometimes the case with unpredictable Michigan weather. A very wet winter and spring in California kept the vines dormant for a few weeks longer than usual, so everything was tracking late from the get-go. This allowed the fruit to remain pure and bright with good acidity, and even though many sites required extra hangtime to reach full phenolic and flavor ripeness, this is a winemaker's dream regarding wine style.
Sampling
The entire BOS team helped out during Harvest this year, and it was so nice not only to have the extra hands but also to engage the team behind the scenes. Betsy helped Dave out with sampling during Harvest. Sampling allows winemakers to assess where the grapes are in their levels of Brix, titratable acidity, and pH to pick them at the ideal ripeness. Grapes need to be sampled often as weather continues to change throughout the Fall, and different varieties of grapes adjust to the weather and ripen at different time frames. Now that the grapes are harvested, she said she "can't wait to see what the 2023 vintage brings!"
Harvesting
Trinet helped harvest grapes from 10 Hands Vineyards. She said, "It was a treat to be joined by my parents, who were eager to participate. My dad got to try a 'wine grape' straight from the vine, which he enjoyed. My mom was delighted to help with Harvest for the second year. The chardonnay looked lovely that day, and I'm patiently waiting for it to hit the tasting room. I also got to peek in on my favorite BOS Wine, Amber, during its stage of fermenting on her skins (yes, Amber is a she because she is a goddess of perfection in wine form) and teach my brother about the goodness of orange wine. So much is happening, and it's hard to contain my excitement."
Production
Elizabeth helped out on the production side and visited both production facilities throughout the 2023 harvest. She said, "On the first day of BOS harvest, I spent time both in the vineyard and Boathouse production facility. Chardonnay for BOS traditional method sparkling was first up, and it was so fun to see and taste the fresh press juice for the cuvée and observe how the production method differs when doing sparkling versus still wines. Bill and I visited weeks later and saw how much had changed and how it was developing. It was so interesting to hear Dave and Doug share what they are tasting and looking for at different stages of fermentation. I also visited Left Foot Charley's production facility on several occasions. I tasted some BOS wines at different fermentation stages and was on site for the incoming fruit and pressing. I was impressed with how Bryan and the team worked together to bring the fruit in and out, sorting, pressing, and moving equipment with precision, speed, and patience for people like me! They make processing the amount of fruit that comes through the facility look effortless. It is fascinating to see and learn about all the different vessels used for different varieties and styles of wine. I'm so excited for all the BOS wines currently fermenting in both locations!"
We are working with Bryan Ulbrich, winemaker and owner of Left Foot Charley Winery, and Doug Olson, winemaker at Boathouse Vineyards to make our wine this year. Bryan is making our whites, and Doug is making our sparkling and red wines. We feel lucky to collaborate with and learn from two highly talented winemakers. They each have their own techniques and styles but operate with the same philosophies of minimal intervention in the cellars, commitment to enhancing Michigan wine, and extreme passion for quality.
Our 2023 Michigan fruit includes Valvin Muscat and Marquette from Crystal Vista Vineyard in Interlochen, Pinot Gris from Brigadoon Vineyard on Leelanau Peninsula, and from Harper’s Ridge on Old Mission Peninsula, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier from Devil’s Dive Vineyards on Old Mission Peninsula, Chardonnay and Riesling from 10 Hands Vineyards and Blaufränkisch from Vineyard 15, both on Old Mission Peninsula. In addition to Methode Agricole, Wishflower, Interlochen, and Amber, we will be making more single-vineyard Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Blaufränkisch this year, as well as three different traditional method sparkling wines. Stay tuned for California fruit updates as Dave is heading there in January.
Dave, Jackie, Della, Olsen
Thank you!
We continue to feel immense gratitude for our growers and their meticulous farming. Bringing in clean fruit is our #1 priority, and we are so lucky that our growers care about that as much as we do.
This year was Dave's 20th Harvest, Jackie's 13th, Della's 3rd, and Olsen's 2nd. Now it's time to get excited for the upcoming wines because that's a wrap on 2023 Harvest!
Nov 21, 2023 at 10:38 AM
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Good Wine Is Made In The Vineyard
The Bos Wine team wholeheartedly believes that good wine is made in the vineyard. Dave is so passionate about farming that he has made it his life’s work. It’s translating into incredible wine, which is why we are so excited about the Tasting Room opening so that you all can try the literal fruits of his labor. Dirt is his specialty, and by that I mean, biodynamic and organic farming. He caught the good dirt bug while living out in California’s wine country and managing vineyards that practice biodynamic farming. So what exactly is biodynamic farming?
A biodynamic vineyard is farmed with all components of the vineyard as one whole entity, using natural materials and composts and eliminating chemicals. From pruning to harvesting, the biodynamic calendar controls the farming practices. In day-to-day practice, the goal is to create a farm system that is minimally dependant on imported materials and instead meets its needs from the living dynamics of the farm itself. The farm's biodiversity is organized so that the waste of one part of the farm becomes the energy for another, which increases the farm’s capacity for self-renewal and ultimately makes the farm sustainable. Time to Dig into Goodness!
Dave has managed the farming and consulted on many vineyards in California that are biodynamic certified. Now, he is working hard at changing farming here in Northern Michigan by helping local vineyards move towards organic and biodynamic farming practices. The proof is in the wine!
We thought it would be fun to take you through a little tour of the vineyards we work with to get a sense of the terroir, the farmers, and the specific varietals used to make Bos Wine.
Michigan Vineyards
Ten Hands Vineyard faces a cool East Bay, situated on the northeastern shore of Old Mission Peninsula. The soil is sandy loam with mixed concentrations of clay and gravel. The glacier movements mixed the soil, so it both drains well, has very little concentrated sand, contains moderate humus, and is slightly alkaline in pH. For fruits, including grapes, this is ideal. Tom and Claudine enhance the soil with annual compost additions by planting a vast mix of grasses and legumes in the row middles. We are using their Chardonnay and Riesling varietals.
Next door to Ten Hands Vineyard is Vineyard 15, named after its owner, Vinnie Johnson, who some of you may know as “The Microwave,” which was his nickname while playing professional basketball on the Detroit Pistons. His number was 15. Tom Petzold is also managing Vineyard 15, and we are using the Blaufränkisch grapes for our rosé. This is a younger vineyard, and Dave is excited to continue to grow the organic and biodynamic practices here.
Brigadoon Vineyard on Leelanau Peninsula is where we are getting our Pinot Gris. It sits up a bit higher and has sandy loam soil with a westerly facing slope. Its owner, Adina Klim, takes great joy in farming and has a real passion for it. Dave has been helping them from the viticultural side and will be continuing to plant vines there.
Rounding out the Michigan vineyards is Crystal Vista Vineyards, owned by Mike and Darlene Heuser, outside of Interlochen. The varietals grown here are Valvin Muscat and Marquette, and Dave’s especially excited about these winter-hardy varietals because he has never worked with them before. These two do a great job farming their vineyard, which is the only vineyard on the block.
California Vineyards
We get a lot of our Syrah from Golden Vineyards located in scenic Mendocino County, and Dave consulted with them for many years. We continue to work closely with Julie Golden and get Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon from her in the future. Golden Vineyard has been Demeter (biodynamic), and Organic certified for over 20 years.
The first wine we ever made was a single-vineyard Syrah, our 2010 Phoenix Ranch. Phoenix Ranch is located northeast of the town of Napa on a gentle hillside composed of pebbly ash and loam soils. The vineyard is farmed biodynamically by Brian Phoenix, bringing out site-specificity and the most complexity possible in the fruit.
Dave started working with the Apallas family, owners of Soda Creek Vineyards, in 2011 when they hired him as a biodynamic consultant to eliminate harmful chemicals and instead rely on organic solutions for weed and pest control. In addition, the beautiful gardens and farm animal inhabitants (chickens and goats) create biodiversity and help maintain a thriving ecosystem. Soda Creek Vineyards is located in Napa, California and our Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc come from these vineyards. This is a timeline graphic that they have on their website, and I love it:
A combination of other backyard vineyards makes up DEO. Dave carefully chooses the best Cabernet Sauvignon from the best vineyards for this wine. Each vineyard chosen is approximately ½ acre and is located from St. Helena to Calistoga.
We hope that you see (and taste!) our passion for vineyards and wine through our boutique label. We are beyond excited to showcase our Michigan and California wines in our tasting room in Elk Rapids, Michigan.
Jul 8, 2021 at 9:26 AM
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