Monthly Archives: September 2011

Low yields, small clusters, tiny berries…

Posted on September 28, 2011 by SUAMW

It’s harvest time in California. There will be lots of hype and PR flying around, claiming yet another vintage of the millennium. Among the buzz terms bandied about will be “low yields“, “small clusters“, “tiny berries“… I have helped pick … Continue reading →

Posted in Nihilistic Contrarianism | Leave a comment

A geode in a bottle

Posted on September 26, 2011 by SUAMW

You tilt a glass to get that last sip, and as you watch the elixir disappear, you notice a rivulet of tiny, sparkling, diamond-like crystals tumbling towards your mouth. You recoil from the glass, spitting and sputtering. Maybe you’ve opened … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Leave a comment

Finally!

Posted on September 23, 2011 by SUAMW

This morning, after determining that the yeasts we originally pitched on the Aglianico were dead, I opened a new packet of RC 212 and sprinkled it on top of the must. By noon, there were signs if fermentation activity. After … Continue reading →

Posted in Making Wine | Leave a comment

Dead Yeast Cells Aren’t Much Fun

Posted on September 23, 2011 by SUAMW

Two things you may not know about me are: 1) I can be a penny-inching miser (comes from standing in food lines as a child) and 2) I grew up listening to the Dr. Demento Show (yes, I was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Making Wine | Leave a comment

It’s beginning to smell a lot like a winery…

Posted on September 20, 2011 by SUAMW

This past Sunday, my son and I checked the sugars and acids on the Aglianico fruit on my back-up vines. The pH was around 3.5 – 3.7 (but my pH meter was acting up) and the sugars were at 25 … Continue reading →

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I’m no nature boy, but I’m willing to experiment

Posted on September 19, 2011 by SUAMW

Joe Dressner, renown importer of natural wines passed away Saturday. My heartfelt condolences to his family and all those who feel his absence. 60 is way too early to go. I did not know Dressner, so I defer to Eric … Continue reading →

Posted in Fermentation experimentation | 22 Comments

Superficial fluff

Posted on September 17, 2011 by SUAMW

There is not much meaningful work one can accomplish while holding a restless newborn. Many of my mornings are spent this way. Before my clinical workload comes in, my wife catches up on her sleep while I do my best … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Leave a comment

The soul of the soil – a quixotic search

Posted on September 11, 2011 by SUAMW

Although I am neither prideful nor a generally proud person, I do pride myself on being rather intrepid and seeking a deeper understanding of the things around me. In some instances, this curiosity merely satisfies a pursuit of trivial factoids … Continue reading →

Posted in My Vineyard | Leave a comment

Putting a kabosh on the birds’ party

Posted on September 3, 2011 by SUAMW

A week ago, I found out I was providing a free meal to the birds of Mt. Washington. After three years of hard work, sweat, some blood and a few tears, I had my first crop. And these winged marauders … Continue reading →

Posted in Vineyard Updates | 7 Comments