Winemaker David Vergari

On occasion I encounter one of my fellow yeast-whisperers who didn’t read the memo about humility.  They’re so full of themselves that I hope they don’t burst until I’ve left the building.  This brings to mind the following joke:

Question: How can you tell when a winemaker is at a party?

Answer: He’ll tell you!

Making wine for a living ain’t glamorous.  There are a lot of details to sweat, plus the inevitable curve-ball that comes out of nowhere.  Throw in the fact that you’re dealing with Mother Nature—who always bats last!—and the process can be downright scary.  Or exhilarating.  And sometimes both.  This is why it pays to stay humble.

I bring this up because this is the time of year to take stock.  The harvest is over, Malolactic is done, and the wines have been sulfured and put to bed.  Pruning is just starting.  One’s thoughts turn to what can be done to improve and how much it will cost.  We’re also gearing up for the first round of racking our red wine off the lees, which serves to clean it up and allow some air—just a little mind you—to help the process along.

I like this time of year when things quiet down and the vines are dormant.  It’s as peaceful as things can get until the next curveball comes at us.

Cheers,

David