Last days of harvest

My harvest started on September 5 and my last fruit came in September 28. I'd already drained and pressed a few fermenters by then, so already the peak of activity had passed, the fruit sorting equipment put away and the last days of harvest work upon us.

Draining one of the last fermenters of 2015

 This year those final days were a bit sad. Instead of the relief of past years, where I could relax and now worry about how yet another harvest was going to fit in with my day job, this year was the first time I felt sad harvest was ending.

Aerating the new wine to settle for two days before barreling

I wouldn't miss the countless hours at the winery, every day, seven days a week for several weeks. This year I was just able to immerse myself in the harvest like never before. I loved it, even when it was hard. I didn't want to say goodbye but there was no choice.

Freshly filled barrel of Pinot Noir

So it was days of draining fermenters into clean bins to let the wine settle out a bit before filling barrels, then loading the press with a shovel, squeezing out the rest of the new wine, then cleaning the press and reloading.

After one false start, definitely the final punchdown of 2015

Then it's barrel washing with a hot water pressure washer and a special fitting to create a super strong stream of water to clean every inch inside the barrel. Then filling to the top and being careful to not overfill.

When I say handmade and I do the work, here you go

The work is physical, not overwhelming but requiring endurance. Long days followed by long days, one shovel load at a time until all the fermenters are empty and all the barrels filled.

Last barrels filled this year, Temperance Hill vineyard Pinot Noir

The last barrels to be filled were Temperance, the unexpected fruit this harvest that I'm so thankful about. It's been a few months and this wasn't my first harvest, so I can't quite recall that moment when I was done. Totally done, all in barrel and leaving the winery knowing harvest is over.

But it was nearly October 20, several weeks from the start. And I know it was sweet. It always is. Always.