Harvest at Emeritus begins at midnight when the grapes are in optimum condition. Hand picking chilled fruit preserves their flavors and natural acidity as they begin their journey into fermentation. Hand sorting selects only the highest quality grapes to be placed in small, wooden fermentation vats for cold soaking (which extracts flavors and colors), and fermentation. Manual punch-down of the cap of skins and seeds ensures gentle handling to preserve Pinot Noir's inherently delicate flavors. The wines are then placed in French oak barrels to complete fermentation. Barrel aging in a constant, low-temperature cellar with naturally high humidity allows the wines to develop slowly. Bottling takes place while the wines are still in their youth, before the wines lose their adolescent vibrancy and dry out due to extended barrel aging.