Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Peju's Biggest Day Ever!! And Sisters Work Together

30 tons of red fruit and 20 tons of white came in today. This is completely insane. (For us.) I think on our biggest day last year we brought in 28 tons of fruit. I don’t know how they are going to get through 50 tons today. Oh, and they also received a shipment of new French oak barrels. 
New Barrels (front), Sorting Red (back left), Pressing White Simultaneously (center back)

Jose says, "Today is crazy!"
Two people on the sorting table, two driving fork lifts, one raking the raichus-- which I can’t for the life of me figure out how to spell and I’m starting to wonder if the term actually exists or if Sara made it up. Doubt it-- Anyway, one raking the stems that get shot out of the crusher/destemmer after the grapes have been spun off and pumped into the tank, four conducting pumpovers, tank transfers, and racking. 


Oscar Rakes Raichus (sp.)


Same Stuff (the stems that come out of the crusher/destemmer)



Lisa Peju is here today. She has a few days to "relax" at home (at the winery, really) between restaurant and wine shop visits around the country, and chose to spend this one in the cellar! Last year, she and I were the lone/rogue harvest interns. I say 'rogue' because neither of us had all that much experience. But we were avid and according to Sara, excellent students.  
Lisa sets up a tank transfer
Ariana measures height of wine in tank


So I just went out to the cellar to see how everyone was doing, and Israel, Miguel and Sara all said to me separately, "Are you going to come help?!" with a tone of desperation that made it impossible for me to say no, so I'll have to write more later because the grapes won't wait! Earlier today, Ariana looked a little skeptical at the idea of doing a pumpover by herself. Now she is in the midst of a few at one time. Today is crazy!!! This harvest is nuts!


Some quick photos and tomorrow I'll let you know how it went! 


Lisa, Ariana & Jose converting inches high to gallons full (wine in tank, see above related photo)



And from just a moment ago:

Israel throws around 10 gallon buckets of grape skins like it's his
job (oh right, it is) while Nick rolls 1/2 ton bins around the cellar, n.b.d.
Nick, our Quality Control Lab Tech, can normally be found in the lab.
It's all hands in cellar today.

Ariana sets up a pumpover


Sara checks in with Ariana 

This is full of heavy grape skins!

Harvest is hard work!

So much going on today that Sheri leaves her Production Planner
duties in the office to help out in the cellar.


Jose and Ariana drain the lees from the bottom of a tank that just went to press.




Wish us luck!

No comments:

Post a Comment