Busy Season

Left - 1 Gallon Corot Noir
Right - 5 Gallons Chardonnay

The busy season at the home winery has definitely begun.  After months of nothing but watching wine age (akin to watching paint dry but with a better aroma), things are definitely picking up.  In the last two weeks I have racked my 2011 Corot Noir, prepared my 2011 Chardonnay for bottling, and sprayed the vines with their first delicious coat of Captan fungicide. 

Over the next few weeks, all of the following are to be expected:

-          Rack the 2011 Pinot Noir

-          Bottle the 2011 Chardonnay

-          Crush, ferment and press my new 2012 Syrah

-          Crush, press and ferment my new 2012 Chardonnay

-          Apply fungicide spray to the Corot Noir vines every seven to ten days

For most winemakers in North America and Europe the focus would be only on the new budding vines.  My vines have indeed come to life, and the first leaves of the season have started to appear.  But I couldn’t resist the notion of getting grapes from South America as well (including my first ever attempt at Syrah), hence a routine that blends the burdens of two hemispheres at once.  This is why the concept of interns was invented.  Anyone in the greater Baltimore area interested in getting your hands dirty, let me know.  Previous experience not required.