I'm sitting in The Flying Goat Coffee shop just off the Square in Healdsburg, CA. I love this town! In just a few hours I will begin my 4th week as a Harvest Intern.
What's been happening lately?
It gets hot here too. But, at night it cools off. The area has been getting temps in the high-90s and maybe even 100 degrees. At least that's what the Explorer SportTrac recorded the other day. This morning it's only 60 degrees, as are most mornings lately. Ok, so what am I, the damn weatherman? No, I was just mentioning this because it does affect what we do in the winery.
Apparently, it has sped up some of the picking. The heat speeds up the ripening, causing sugar levels to rise, acidity to drop. There is also the possibility of sunburned or raisined grapes. We don't want that. So, according to my sources (ok, Dave the Cellar Master) this means Chardonnay is coming in a little faster than normal. We should be finished pressing Chardonnay soon. Maybe in the next few days.
Slowly, we have been getting in some of the red grapes. Sam, the intern from Boston, got to work on some Syrah on Saturday, I helped with some more Cab the day before. This trickle of reds should be a flood in the coming days.
I actually am heading in to help with some more Syrah today. Gotta run. But, check back. I took a ride into Northern Napa Valley yesterday.
About Me
- Andy
- My wine career started with the new millennium. In 2000-2001 I was asked to order the wine for the original Bob's Steak & Chop House in Dallas, TX. I knew only that I knew nothing. Bob put his trust in me. I felt obligated to live up to the standard of being the face of the wine program for a nationally acclaimed steakhouse. 2004 was a breakthrough year. Being self-taught, I passed the Intro to the Court of Master Sommeliers, visited CA wine country - twice that year, the Willamette Valley once; attended Oregon Pinot Camp, 2005; became Certified by the Society of Wine Educators, 2008 and will take on the Ramey internship in 2009. Along the way, many people have inspired and impacted my career. Some may not realize how their questions, answers, blog comments, wine conversations or just their time, trust or hospitality have helped. One of my dirty little secrets is that my mother keeps me up to date on the Oregon wine scene, procurring info the old-fashioned way: clipping magazine & newspaper articles from Matt Kramer, Katherine Cole and other great wine writers from the Northwest; bundles them up & sends them to me. Very clandestine stuff.