This year’s grape yield was off 25% relative to last year, but typical of vineyards in the area and reflective of the “dry farming” approach I applied most of this season in order to keep the clusters small and the flavor intensity high. Hopefully this will result in a great vintage.
Harvest generally entails the following:
1. Remove the bird netting from the vines;
2. Pick the clusters and place them in 5-gallon buckets;
3. Schlep them up the hill to the crush pad (um, I mean garage);
4. Weigh the bounty;
5. Process through the destemming machine (input: whole clusters; output: individual grapes into one bin, stems into another!);
6. Begin 72-hour cold soak;
7. Feast on BBQ chicken, sausage, smoked salmon, whole grain mustard, chips, cheese & crackers, chocolate, cookies, and of course . . . wine!
Many thanks to this year’s expert picking crew: Taylor, Mike, Brandon, Deanna, Tony, Lynda, Gary, Molly, Sue, and Cecily! By the way, the 2010 harvest will involve 2,400 vines instead of the present 300 vines, so I’m taking crew reservations now. The pay sucks but the food and fun are hard to beat!
3 comments:
Hola Pablo! I/we missed you the last couple of days, however I see that you have been busy. Sign me up for the harvesting or any other tasks required to make that yummy wine! No pay required - just a bit of that wonderful food and of course VINO! Miss ya.... Adios...Imelda
Oooh! Count me in! Sounds like fun.
So glad to hear from you again. Please sign Grady and me up for the harvest - sounds like fun.
Manuela
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