The last few days have been GLORIOUS. It is hard to believe it is October 22. For those that dismissed Oregon's harvest a month ago, when the weather turned cool, I only need to give you the following data: On September 22, we were hovering at about 2000 heat units and we were under 90 days since flowering in most locations. Both sets of data lend to the notion of an under-ripe scenario for harvest. But, we have gained another 30 days of hang-time and 200 more heat units since then. That has helped give us the rich, berry notes in the must we did not have a month ago. Since we only started picking last week and we still have about 33% of our fruit still hanging on the vine ripening, our patience has paid off. Our tonnage is down significantly over last year, but as a result, the flavors are much more concentrated. By the way, we will pick again this weekend, bringing in most of the rest of our fruit. 
"So, what are you doing in the winery while you wait for more grapes to ripen?", you ask. Good question. We are cold-soaking all the grapes from the last week of picking. After about a week on the skins we warm them up and allow the indigenous yeast to take over. We have a few tanks just starting to build up some steam. If you are watching the web cam you'll see a hardy group of souls doing morning punchdowns and Brix/ temperature readings, starting at six each morning. Off-camera in the white wine tank room the yeast has been pitched into the tanks and we are monitoring and guiding those ferments as well. For the first time in months, the winery smells like fermentation. There is nothing as sweet as walking in the door each morning and inhaling the heady, floral smell of yeast at work.
But, for the most part, we are cleaning. I'd say that 75% of winemaking is cleaning. We are constantly in a state of cleaning before we do something, while we are doing it, then cleaning up after ourselves. A clean winery produces clean wines. You'd think all that cleaning would wear us down. But, the trick about work, and harvest especially, is to keep things light. Nothing is a fulfilling after a long day of receiving grapes as what we call the WALL OF SQUEEEGEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
Click on the following link to access my WALL OF SQUEEEGEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! album. Once you load the slide show (and this could take some time. You'll know if you only see pixels!) click on the forward arrow quickly. This will create a flip book effect. And, you'll get to see us both enjoying a group squeegee AND the beautiful sunshine.
Good times.
Thomas
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