My sister-in-law, Kelly arrived today (complete with her little U-Haul). She had requested a vineyard walk, and can only stay one night, so we headed out for a quick walk around Sokol-Blosser Winery. That's Kelly standing in the dirt that gives the Red Hills of Dundee their name. What a beautiful day for a walk. We got to the vineyard too late to do any wine tasting, so we walked around the lower parts of the estate.
At first I was excited that the vineyard was still filled with fruit. Soon, however, the horrible reality became clear to me. These grapes were not going to be harvested. When the huge rain storm came through in September, the grapes took in too much moisture which cracked the them open. Fruit flies followed soon thereafter making the fruit unusable for wine.
You can see some of the fruit damage in the grape cluster above. I just can't imagine being a farmer, having to trust that the weather won't destroy everything that you've worked so hard to create. I just don't have the faith to be a farmer!
One of the things I've come to enjoy is being in the same vineyard on different occasions and trying over and over to grab the perfect shot of a particular place. Today I took another shot at the ancient vines at Eyrie Vineyard. I just love these old vines. I've heard that phylloxera is now in the present in these old vines. They are planted directly in the ground so they are vulnerable to this parasite that eats away at the roots of the vines. That's my latest effort in the photo above.
The poppies are still blossoming, and the bees are still working! I love the way the late afternoon shadows are casting long shadows on the sides of this flower. This is the best time of year, when the fall days are filled with sunshine, and the bees are still active making honey. I'm saddened at the loss of beautiful fruit, but thankful for all the fruit that made it to the fermentor. What a blessed time of year. Get outside this weekend and enjoy it!
