Five point five tons of Syrah from Lani’s Vineyard in Shenandoah Valley, Amador County, to be picked tomorrow morning - two day laborers are hired to help me get it crushed tomorrow afternoon at m2 winery in Lodi. Chris is working his day job, unable to get time off during the work week during harvest this year due to extenuating circumstances - diabetes and dying relatives among them. Not him with the D&D, but people with whom he’s associated, causing me untoward difficulties, selfish bastard that I am. Ted, one of our new partners, will be by around 2 p.m., hopefully bringing beer and water.
Dave Dart, of d’Art Vineyard and Winery, also in Lodi, is coming by for moral support. He’s picking 10 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon from his home vineyard Saturday. I’ll help out as best I can with his big harvest day by taunting his friends providing free labor as well as measuring sugars, pH, TA, weighing out SO2, tartaric, etc., as needed.
We’re also probably going to do 3.5 tons of Zinfandel from Kevin’s 1916 field on Saturday as well. Today I measured 27.8 Brix, 3.65 pH and .615 TA. Fantastic numbers from this old block of vines. Higher Brix than what Kevin reported from his tests on Sunday, but that’s the way it goes.
From what I’ve seen 2007 grapes are holding higher acids than whatever “normal” is. Berries are smaller than I’ve seen in a long time. Flavors are ok, but I like l o o o onnng g hang time and superior physiological maturity. Harvest is generally early this year, at least for our usual vineyard sources.
Overall it looks like 2007 will be one of the best, most - interesting - difficult - unusual - great - ordinary - insert_your_word_of_choice_here - vintages that California has EVER seen. Shortly you can expect to see famous, nationally know wine publications quoting famous, nationally know winemakers who will say “2007 is the best year since (insert great vintage year here.) It reminds me of the great harvest of (insert great vintage year here.) And of course, you’ll see strong recommendations to buy up all the 2007 wines NOW!!! Don’t wait!!! It’s the BEST EVER SINCE (INSERT GREAT VINTAGE YEAR HERE.)!!!!! Jeez. I hate wine cliches.
I’ve had a long day - taking picking bins up to Lani’s Vineyard, answering more than 30 phone calls, I kid you not, delivering a couple of cases of wine to customers, as well as trying to finish a presentation folder design job for Ann P., which is way overdue - the design work being my feeble attempt to make a little cash in lieu of a real job.
Enough of my bitching…. off to bed with me.
