Winemaker's Winter

Winter sure took it's time getting here, but I finally feel the chill and the vines are starting to do the same.

The vineyard out my window is becoming more skeletal by the day--the last of the yellow and red leaves are falling to the ground, the cover crop is becoming lush and green from the December rains, and I feel comfortable in knowing that the 2008's are all in barrel, pruning will wait a few weeks, and I can get in some R&R&G:  winemaker speak for rest, rehydration and golf.

Starting in February I will be in a shipping frenzy, in March I will be nervous about frost, in May I'll be nervous about flowering, in July I'll watch veraison and in August I'll start worrying about birds.

But for right now, I can look out my window and watch the sheep grazing the vineyard, the sun shining bright low on the California horizon, and enjoy some sparkling wine and work on my chipping game.

Oh wait, I forgot we're harvesting Olive Oil on Monday...and shipping...and I have a few pending orders to enter--and when's all my 2008 compliance due?  Oh well, the peace lasted a few minutes while I relaxed and wrote this.

More soon...