EARLY PICKING

[rrawhide]

Hi all


Pressed the rest of the syrah this morning and we ended up with a total of 82 gallons. Hoped to hit 100 but just not there. Anyway, we are glad with what we get and some for the birds too.


Checked the merlot and it is still at 21.5 so will wait another whole week and see what happens. The berries seem to be fuller and more on a bunch this year.


Let you know more later.

rrawhide

 

[Waldo]

Hey, thats still over 400 bottles wine buddy...I sure hope you will keep this going as the process continues

 

[rrawhide]

Yes, I did do winey things today - - - on my birthday too!!!


We ended up the harvest @ Deparo Vineyards this am. Met the picking crew at dawn to pick the merlot. We ended up with approximately 275 gallons of must and the numbers are: brix @ 24.5 ph@ 4.0 and TA @ ? (not sure yet). The ph is usually high in this area and the TA low so by adding tartaric acid to bring up it should lower the ph into the high 3's. Quite a bit of bird damage and will be looking into nets next year. I should be able to get a little merlot this year. About 1/2 of last years crop. Oh well, we are happy with what we get.


I know one thing for sure - by next harvest we hope to have a steel frame designed and made to hold the crusher/destemmer over the top so we can crush right into the primaries instead of pumping/carrying.


Every year a little better.



Pictures are all the same but here are just a couple more:


feeding the crusher/destemmer

Tommy, our tote and carry dude. He brings the pails from the picking crew and gives them to me to dump - - Thanx Tommy!!!

and the end result (so far!!!)

Gotta another thing working - so will let you know if this turns out.


By the way, was given some stainless steel bathroom stall panels yesterday. We built a new building at our church and these were left over and they said I could have them. Going to use them for table/counter tops in the winery if they all work out. There are about 8 pieces various sizes so I will just build accordingly. Score!!

Anyway this was my day - now to go to the winery and work on my 'hazy peach wine'.


later


rrawhide

 

[Goodfella]

If your goal was to make us all jealous.... YOU SUCCEEDED!!! HAHA


Sweet.

 

[rrawhide]

Well, here is what we did with some of the stainless steel panels:


Seemed to work out pretty good:

Now, if I could just get rid of all those baseball, football and basketball card I stacked in the corner!!! Gotta be a million - all new unopened. Used to have card shop years ago!!

later


rrawhide

 

[Waldo]

Put them cards on eBay Rick !!!
Great ue of the stainless panels..I like em

 

[dragonmaster42]

I might be able to help you with the baseball cards Rick. I have a collection of Topps going back to the early 80's.

 

[rrawhide]

Tony - There are unopened cases; boxes; sets; wax packs; rack packs; error boxes singles; sorting boxes (full) signed baseballs and bats. Dealer info books. Baseball, football, basketball, and hockeybecketts. Probably 15 of Michael Jordan #1 Basketball becketts and much much more. I know that there is 1 case of (first year) Griffey rookie - 1989 Upper Deck Baseball and 2 (i think) of 1990. I also saw 5 - unopened 1989 UD baseball sets. Also, there is a unopened case of first yearUD Football and UD Basketball cards. I also think that there is 1 - uncut sheet of (I believe) 1989 Topps baseball. And lots of oddball stuff - ie: unrolled RC cola aluminum can sheetsfrom the 70's. Lots of binder sets and lots and lots and lots more. Everything is there Topps, Fleer, Donruss, Bowman, PRoset, Pacific, Skybox, Hoops and and and - - Interested? If so, pm me and I will give you my phone number and you can call and I will go thru boxes and tell you what is there or ?
thanx for your interest.


rrawhide