Good ideas and bad decisions

Up here at Chateau Montelena we like to think that we know a good idea when we see one, even if it sometimes takes us awhile to get on board. So in what is proudly a blatant rip-off of the Schramsberg "Harvest Dress" we present to you the "Harvest Hat!" A real gem that I found in Chinatown and just couldn't pass up - who doesn't love a fuzzy white pig? The rules are the same as for the dress - wearer must have done something to deserve it. In this instance one of our interns (Matt Johnson) in a case of bad judgment failed to hang the "man in press" sign on the outside of the press while cleaning it, so now gets to wear the hat as a reminder to himself and the rest of the staff to follow the rules for their own safety. Goes nicely with his outfit don't you think?

On the more serious side, today was our 3rd day of fruit this year, and we've got just shy of 60 tons in so far. All white grapes to this point (Chardonnay and Sauv Blanc), but we're looking at potentially harvesting the first few tons of Estate Cabernet Sauvignon tomorrow. Today's hot weather is moving everything along quite nicely, and should help push several blocks into pickable condition. Rain next week? That's the next big question...

Stay tuned and happy harvesting!

The best, worst first day...

Pride Mountain Vintage '09 - It all began with a 49ers loss against the Vikings, a hangover combined with a lovely dose of Monday-itis.

Monday, September 28th kicked off our grape crush with our first official grapes from our estate here at Pride Mountain. We already had around 15 tons in our cellar but this day was to kick off the beginnings of our estate fruit. When we arrived there was already about 3 tons sitting on our crush pad - fast, efficient and reliable PMV vineyard workers were delivering our first batch of Viognier. I moved directly towards the scales to step up to my new responsibility of WeighMaster, turned the scales on only to read "Code 8." Uh oh. This meant trouble! The cords were all connected, but it was telling me they weren't. Plus, we were expecting more Viognier!

8.30am, the mastermind of "Mr Fixits," a coworker here we commonly call MacGyver, pulled everything apart as we called for the scale's engineer to come up and fix it for us ASAP. Not only that, but our must pump was giving us problems! We had to cancel picking for the day and it took about 5 hours for the scales to be fixed. A 12 hour day for 4.5 tons of Viognier! A number of other Monday-itis events occured but our spirits were kept high with a continuous shuffle of 1970s hits, a delicious BBQ and lame, cheesy jokes. Love this place!

A week later and we have processed another 40 odd tons of Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. We have a record harvest of Viognier this year of 35 tons and theres still some left to pick! I'm just surprised at just how cold it has become, and so quickly, too! Being a vintage hopper has kept me away from brisk winters because I've literally just followed the summers, but this year my job will keep me here over Christmas - I'm a little nervous!

Renee Dale,
LKI

How to Survive a vintage...

When you're smack bang in the middle of vintage and your supervisor laughs as he finds you on your feet leaning against a tank fast asleep at 3am you really do start to wonder what it's all for. That was my second vintage when I learned that night shift was just not for me, no matter how much candy, red bull, coffee or cheese toasties I consumed.

Every vintage I feel like I learn a heap of things in such a short space of time. This is my fifth vintage so far and I feel like I should be blowing out candles and cutting cake! Well, I did just celebrate my 23rd Birthday so I must be just still in the mood but I think it should be celebrated when you get to your fifth vintage and still feel the itch for fruit to come in and the excitement of the first load of fruit pulling up on the back of a flat bed.

The more I learn about wine, the more I don't know! After 3 years of studying it for my Bachelor's degree back home in New Zealand, and 5 years in the industry abroad, I still feel like a spring chicken intern. I know I could setup a pumpover in my sleep, and often have the odd haunting nightmare of broken hydrometers scattered around the cellar. I asked my boss Sally if she could interpret the dream for me and I think she was spot on: "I think you're bored and itching for vintage to start."

A very wise woman said to me recently: Be patient, and enjoy the beauty of it. Patience is a virtue; one that I clearly am lacking. We have been waiting patiently for these grapes to peak to their tastiest, and its already officially Fall! I'm reading all the blogs about crazy long hour days and juice splattered interns. Right now I feel like I hardly even deserve my beer at the end of the day.

But to be patient, is to spend a lifetime in the wine industry, knowing I will never know all there is to know about wine. Which is exactly what I intend to do. On my vintage experiences around the world I have learned that in order to survive a vintage:

• Look after your feet


• If you're hungry - EAT something!


• Always find time to laugh


• Why try harder when you can try easier? Keep it simple... stupid.


• Even if you're a 23 year old girl from New Zealand, don't feel like you have to prove yourself.


• The best way to earn the trust of your new work mates... is to feed them.


• Do not underestimate the value of communication!
  

Here at Pride within a couple weeks I have learnt how to rescue someone inside a confined space wearing a SCBA tank, the do's and dont's of forklifting, how to weigh fruit (as of today I am an official WEIGHMASTER!), how to run a press, a pumpover and free sulphur all at once, and how to make a delicious steak marinade!

I intend to keep you updated on my experience of this wonderful winery so stay tuned. You most definitely need to check out Daniel Orisson's amazing blog entries for Chateau Montelena and I also have my own personal blog called Eno Files - everything you don't want to know about wine! at http://harvesthopper.blogspot.com/

Photos are to come!

Buona Vendemmia! (Have a good vintage in Italian)
Renee

LKI
(Little Kiwi Intern)