Well, I am right in the middle of harvest. I am making a little less than normal: no Semillon, more Cabernet Sauvignon and a bit of Merlot and less of Cabernet Franc.
I have been busy. In August we had two concerts: Danny O’Keefe and then Vashon Winery’s first Folk Festival. Danny O’Keefe was remarkable as he sang new songs from his recent CD, On Time. The weather co-operated and the concert was held in front of the winery. Danny was personable and approachable and his songs carried up into the trees.
In late August Wally Bell masterfully directed our first Folk Festival with ten different groups playing Americana to Celtic. The festival was headlined by Larry Murante who played at 7pm. Other notables were Kat Eggleston of Vashon Island (recently returned from Chicago), the Hayburners (Jennifer and David) from beautiful Renton and a special apprearance by the Colwell Brothers. All the entertainers were fantastic and most stuck around to listen to their contemporaries.
Then September snuck up on me. At the beginning of September we had a poetry reading by Samuel Green. Green started his reading in the orchard outside reading a poem about teaching his son about killing…….and I swear I would have fainted had my usual early evening deer ambled past us. He should have been there as early Transparents plunked to the ground.
Then we went inside and Green read his and other poets’ works. He own works were sensitive and observant and he almost sang the words to us.
Samuel Green is our state’s first Poet Laureate and sitting amongst the barrels all of us felt somehow connected.
Now wine: throughout this time period I was busy blending and bottling two different batches of Tramp Harbor Red which has sold unbelievably well. The last batch used one barrel from the previous blend to which I added one barrel each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. I think it was my best to date.
I am just running out of that one and getting ready to blend and bottle a new batch; this one with more Merlot and less Cabernet Franc, again using one barrel from the previous blend.
This is a little more complicated as I am trying to deal with handling the grapes that just came in. The Cabernet Sauvigon is from Upland Vineyards in Sunnyside, a new vineyard for me and one I am incredibly excited about. It is managed by the Newhouse family and I deal mainly with Todd Newhouse, third generation vineyard manager. I met Todd when he asked me to do some research on his property and the original owner, W.B. Bridgman.
Todd has recently opened his own tasting room, Upland Estates, located just below the Vineyards, though his wines are made in Grandview.
When I picked up the grapes his father Steve came over to help. His Grandpa, Al, waved from his truck.
I’ll make another trip over, likely next week, to pick up the Cabernet Franc, a late ripening variety.
Oh, and our island-grown Pinot Noir, grown at Monument Farm Vineyard. It is really struggling to get completely ripe and to develop enough sugars. The early spring rain really set the plants back this year but we are hoping that we will get something……I don’t worry about the sugars because I can always add sugar; it is the ripeness of the grapes that concern me. Right now the malic is strong in the grape and it is slow to change to tartaric but I think it is happening as the grapes are softening.
On Sunday after getting samples of the Pinot Noir I drove over to the Chasselas Dore vineyard and found that the raccoons had beaten me. I am really torn…….the vineyard needs so much work, it is really wild with grass as high as my head and scotch-broom and blackberries between the rows. I am just happy that I didn’t spend too much time working the vineyard.
Well, I keep heading toward December when I have to make my balloon payment to the former owners. I think it will happen, but it is really scary with the credit market the way it is. I can’t even get banks to return my calls.
I have a lot of good wines to sell, and about to go into bottle. I just started selling the Right Bank Red which is an equal blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc that emulates the wines of St. Emilion in Bordeaux. I also hope to bottle a new Cabernet Sauvignon and a new Reserve Red.
