It is that time of year. The birds are heading south, stopping on their way to snack on our grapes. Bring in the cannons (no shooting, just a loud bang to scare them away). The rainy week at the start of October gave way to lovely sunshine and cool nights. Fruit came in from Walla Walla (think big reds), as we crossed our fingers for a clear forecast. Then all (fill in the blank) broke loose! The full moon was followed by a predicted 6 days of sun, followed by showers, rain, rain showers with sunny breaks, you get the idea. Time to bring in the fruit!
Starting on Wednesday (10/7) through today (10/12), we have been working long, sticky days and have been pulling in some beautiful grapes! Our winery is full of fermenters, filled to the brim with grapes well on their way to becoming the 09 vintage. We have weighed, sorted, pressed, power washed and mostly avoided getting stung by bees. The clusters are large and tasty. The fruit came in looking good and yields are up!
Harvest is a time to celebrate the bounty of the valley and to appreciate the good fortune to be able to share it with those near and far. It is filled with anxiety and relief but mostly satisfaction at the end of each hard day of work. Now the fun begins!
