Notes From The Winemaker

Busy Busy Busy

Happy to report that it looks as though we have dodged the rain, and that it probably won't frost up on us as this front passes. We are probably going to see temperatures in the 90's by the weekend, which is a good thing. Whew.

Lots to do this week. I have been working on getting ready to take orders from the Wine Club for our 2005 Grenache Rosé -- our first Wine Club-only special bottling.

Also I've been arranging to receive our Pinot Noir and Grenache vines this month for planting at the Estate vineyard, and getting on my grading contractor's calendar to have them do some further development of our hydrological control features around the vineyard.

And I can't really believe -- but DO fully grasp -- that harvest is just around the corner. I have a forklift service scheduled to add an extra control and quick-disconnects for our bin rotator attachment (which will allow us to keep the side-shift feature with the rotator in place -- way cool!).

I am finally on my painting contractor's calendar to put a new application of food-grade epoxy inside our little tank press, and scheduled with the press technicians to install a new membrane and door gasket as well as replace some hoses and electrical controls. This press only has to get us through another vintage or two. Anyone out there interested in a properly-refurbished vintage 1980 Willmes TP-1.8? I will be entertaining reasonable offers.

I'm getting in touch with one of our better stainless-steel fab shops to make some lightweight lids for our new wood fermenters that should be delivered soon. I'm hoping they can also make up a couple of special forklift racks to mount these tanks on. And get them done and delivered before harvest!

Oh, and while I'm at it I'm seeing if I can schedule a bottling for our 2004 Pinot Noirs -- which are going to be mind-blowing -- concentrated like the 2003's but fleshier -- for the last week in August/first week in September. I only have a day's-worth of bottling to do, but have to get the mobile line scheduled, glass ordered and delivered, and corks selected and imprinted before then -- not to mention getting the 2004 wines out to tanks, and barrels cleaned and ready for the 2006 wines.

WHEW!

posted 6/13/2006 05:15:00 PM