This year’s harvest was much different than last year’s. With a hot summer, we began the harvest much earlier this year (before the end of August). And while we had a couple long haul days, overall we kept to a regular day schedule. The weather was MUCH cooler than last year’s so we didn’t get our afternoon siestas (which I miss).
Despite the changes, it was still an amazing time. Being able to collect the literal fruits of my labor was incredibly rewarding. And even though I was away in the winter, seeing my second harvest in motion made me feel like I had been here for a whole year. I think the only thing I really missed was part of the viticuluration process and pruning of the vines.
We had some great laughs, many shrieks from me from attacking bugs, and memories to share from the vineyard. One night stood out in particular for me, we harvested one haul of 92 baskets of grapes (a normal haul is about 30-40 baskets). This resulted in having dinner at the cellar and required some work late at night. It was long 14 hour day without the usual long meal breaks, but it seemed to go by really quickly. Things move so fast during harvest and you’re doing so much, time goes by quickly. It’s not until you reach your bed you realize how tired you are.
Corrado’s
biodynamic experiment for the most part proved to work out well. We had some massive grapes, I couldn’t believe came from one stem.
When we finally finished the San Paolo vineyard, a part of me felt sad. Like the vineyard was empty and void of life. The vines were still there and still lush with greenery, but the grapes were missing. The whole purpose of the vineyard. Giovanni and Giulio tried to convince me that their fulfilling their purpose and fermenting so we can make wine, but I still felt a little sad. This soon passed when we began tasting some of the first batches of wine of the year. Delightful.
