Journal | September 4, 2020
Hardscrabble Journal
Gut Decisions
Today ends a miserable week of weather. Rain, fog, mist, and clouds have stalled ripening and contributed to some rot. To what degree I do not know because I have stayed out of the vineyard. I have too strong of an emotional attachment to the grapes. To observe them under these conditions would make me anxious and perhaps lead to making unwise picking decisions. At this stage of maturity the grapes cannot become great wine.
We don’t need lab tests to tell us this. My philosophical mentor, Andre Ostertag of Alsace, wrote it best when describing “the relationship between man, his vines and his wines” in the days before science played a role in winemaking:
“…..a winemaker had to maintain an intimate, direct rapport with the elements. He had to link himself to things, allow them to become a living part of himself, to penetrate his soul, his gut, in order to feel and understand them.”
Today starts a wonderful week of weather. Once things dry out, we will walk the vineyards, take our berry samples for lab tests, and taste the flavors. Sunny days and cool nights will re-energize the vines and our spirits. Then we will be ready to start harvest.
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