Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of the man who was the husband of someone I care for a great deal, and the Dad of one of my best friends. In Karlene's honor today I went up to Coeur de Terre and puttered. There's really no other name for it. I just went up and did some small tasks, along with a couple of projects that I simply really like to do. But first I almost killed myself (now that would have been quite a tribute!)I wasn't even doing anything dangerous. That is unless you take into consideration the quality of the ladders supplied to the help at CdT. I'm not saying Scott is cheap, well, yes, actually, I guess I am (I'm just hoping he'll read this and be coerced into buying a new one). The step ladder we use in the cellar is a P.O.S. aluminum that barely holds the guys who weight in at a little over a hundred pounds. For me who weighs in at just over 200, it's a scary activity. I was changing light bulbs. There were quite a few out in the cellar room, so I got to work. The ones on the wall are easy, so I did those first. Then I had to tackle the ceiling bulb that was out. They've been having some issues with the lighting circuit, so I wasn't sure if it was the bulb or the circuit. I took the protective metal cage off of the glass jar which screws into the fixture. Then, as I was unscrewing the jar I noticed that it was completely full of water, and yes, the circuit was on at the time and the ladder is made of aluminum.
After puttering a bit more, I went out to see 
what Roberto was up to. He was moving the barrels outside. I'm fascinated with how the whole organizational structure of a cellar works. Scott had me move all of the barrels out of the barrel room, and I wondered if they'd just stay in the big room. No, they go outside. We just had to get them out of the barrel room so we had room for the new fermenters. Roberto had asked me earlier what Scott wanted done with the barrels. Luckily I knew. Now how do you communicate? Luckily the little I know of Spanish includes beer, so I pointed at the one with exes on them and said "Dos Equis" and pointed outside on the other side of the drive, and then at the "no-equis"
what Roberto was up to. He was moving the barrels outside. I'm fascinated with how the whole organizational structure of a cellar works. Scott had me move all of the barrels out of the barrel room, and I wondered if they'd just stay in the big room. No, they go outside. We just had to get them out of the barrel room so we had room for the new fermenters. Roberto had asked me earlier what Scott wanted done with the barrels. Luckily I knew. Now how do you communicate? Luckily the little I know of Spanish includes beer, so I pointed at the one with exes on them and said "Dos Equis" and pointed outside on the other side of the drive, and then at the "no-equis"
and pointed to the pad outside the cellar. Scott had gone through the barrels earlier and ex'd out the ones that he no longer wanted. Usually they were over four years old. I still can't believe that you have to pay $1,200 or so for a barrel and then only use it for three to four years.
After that wineries will usually sell them for around $50 a piece. That's quite a depreciation of an asset. These barrels are all made of French White Oak. The trees from which they are harvested are often over one hundred years old. The wood is gorgeous, and has almost vertical grain. The inside of the wood is toasted a bit. After they have been used the inside is also red from the wine. In places the wood has been eaten away. If you smell vanilla in a wine, that's the oak. Likewise if you smell smoke, that could be the toast of the barrel. Scott likes his barrels with a medium long toast.After I'm done puttering, I decided to walk around the vineyard. The light has gone from direct sun to overcast, so I decide to try and find the perfect cluster of Pinot Noir. It's not easy. For some reason there are wires everywhere. You'd have thought that Scott and Lisa would have been more considerate of future photographers when they planted their vineyard! 
I now have so many pictures of grape clusters, and there is always something that isn't quite right. Today I was laying down in one of the rows, trying to get the light just right behind the grape cluster when one of the guys on the crew ran up with a shotgun. I wondered if he was going to finish me off. 
It also has a high acid content, and winemakers will have to know what to do with that to temper it and make it work. Maybe I just love it already because I've put so much of myself into it. I admit my objectivity may already be skewed. Look at the grapes in the photo above. Don't you think they'll make an awesome wine? In the hands of Scott Neal, I feel confident that they will.
I now have so many pictures of grape clusters, and there is always something that isn't quite right. Today I was laying down in one of the rows, trying to get the light just right behind the grape cluster when one of the guys on the crew ran up with a shotgun. I wondered if he was going to finish me off. Several people have asked me what I think of this vintage. The smart answer is we'll have to wait and see, the proof is in the glass. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's going to be awesome (with a caveat of course.) It's going to be a great year to purchase wine from more expensive vineyards with experienced winemakers who really know what they are doing. This fruit has had forever to
hang on the vine, and I think that's going to give it amazing flavors.
It also has a high acid content, and winemakers will have to know what to do with that to temper it and make it work. Maybe I just love it already because I've put so much of myself into it. I admit my objectivity may already be skewed. Look at the grapes in the photo above. Don't you think they'll make an awesome wine? In the hands of Scott Neal, I feel confident that they will.