Philosophy

Joyce Vineyard Winery specializes in handcrafted, unfined, unfiltered wines. Long cold soaks and small vat fermentation of superior grapes delivers fine, elegant, well-balanced wines. By purchasing grapes from the same lots in select vineyards Joyce Vineyards ensures consistency in the wines from year to year.

Unfiltered, unfined wines show all the characteristics of the grapes that were vented. Whenever wines are sterile filtered, a considerable amount of favor and mouth feel is removed. Better to have a small amount of dregs in the bottom of the bottle as confirmation of an unfiltered, unfined wine.

Small, primary fermentation vats where the red wine must is kept on the grape skins for fifteen to twenty days ensures that all of the phenolics and flavors have been carefully extracted from the grapes. It involves a lot of extra work and careful stewardship during this critical stage. The reward is well worth the effort.

The finest French cooperage is chosen to enhance the varietal it is used with. Pinot Noirs are generally kept in tight grain center of France barrels for twelve to sixteen months. My personal philosophy is to use only enough oak tannins to balance the wine, not overwhelm it. The Chardonnay for instance has only fifteen percent new oak for ten months.