We’re lucky to have Chik Brenneman speak to us as Chik is a busy guy. Retiring from UCD Teaching and Research Winery in 2019, he is now back with a small, start-up winery: the Baker Family Winery. At UCD, Chik was principle to getting the Research Winery designed, built and operating. The winery currently crushes about 100 tons. Imagine simultaneous fermentations with, say, different temperatures and/or yeasts, and/or extended maceration times.
This meeting’s program will concentrate on Lab Techniques, mainly how to use a pH meter to measure grape juice and wine pH; how to measure Total Acidity (TA), and some comments on general lab practices as relates to our interests. You will see chemistry in action as there will be actual demonstrations! Equipment! Chemicals! Glassware! All in the name of better wine! Our speaker will be John Lyon, whom is a chemist and runs the Wine Lab in the heart of Sierra Moonshine. And, best of all, John is one of us, a SWGGA member.
The pruning “class” is scheduled for March 13 at 10AM, unless it rains, whereupon we will move it a week. (We’ll notify participants if that is the case.) This will be at Curtis Peterson’s vineyard a bit south of Grass Valley. If you are interested and are not on the list, contact Peter Willcox at willcoxps@yahoo.com.
