Another one bites the dust…

It’s official. The 2011 Harvest at The Good Earth is finally complete.  As of Friday all of the reds have been barreled down and put to sleep. Let me tell ya, 2011 has been a wild ride.  Starting off with the coldest spring on record, then a ridiculously hot summer, then more rain throughout September, and finally a gorgeous fall.  There was a lot of nail biting, rushing to get things harvested, and finally sighs of relief when it was all pulled off.  Now that the chaos is behind me, I have to say I’m pretty damn thrilled with how everything turned out.

It’s been pretty busy down the dusty lane way these days.  Wrapped Up in the Valley blew through the Twenty Valley the last three weekends and passport holders flocked to our doors to snag a sample of our 09 Chardonnay paired with a delicious Alsatian style tart.  We also had the HandMade Market here last weekend so this place was buzzing with thirsty, hungry, and craft happy people! I myself managed to not blow my entire salary at the market as I did in the spring.

In other exciting news, and shameless self promotion, our 2010 Rosé won a Bronze Medal at the Ottawa Gourmet Food & Wine show this month.  Amanda, Michael, and myself all made the trek to Ottawa to pour at the show, and visit licensees.  Can I please mention that the food and wine scene in Ottawa is stellar? We did not go hungry.  Or thirsty.

I am also proud to announce that our 2009 Riesling has been chosen as the official White Wine of the Ontario Legislature for 2012!  We are so absolutely excited and honoured to be picked! I could prove it by posting a video sneaky Chef Pasto took of Amanda and Kara dancing and cheering in the retail store when Amanda received the phone call but I would risk Amanda beating me with her tiny fists.  However, I do take bribes so… if you wanna see it.  Make an offer.

So that is what’s been going on around here!

Gotta go… the winery won’t power wash itself!

D.

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Who stole the cork to my lunch?

Well it’s official.  Summer is over.  As much as I love summer and the heat and the fun activities that go along with it, I have to say… Autumn is where it’s at. Perhaps what I do for a living makes me seasonally biased but you just can’t beat this time of year.  Especially a day like today when it’s 25C and sunny.

These days my life consists of cleaning, wandering through vineyards sampling, and obsessive-compulsive weather checking.  The cellar is now nearly empty after last week’s bottling run, and so clean it resembles an operating room more than a winery.  (All thanks to that power washer I suckered Nicolette into buying me!) Everything that hasn’t been used in a year has been scrubbed down and tested to make sure it is in working order and is now patiently waiting to be used.  Now that everything is so clean and shiny I can’t wait to get started messing it up!

The grapes are coming along nicely.  Every few days I head out into the vineyard sampling.  Keeping a close eye on the brix, pH, and acidity as harvest quickly approaches.  First on the docket will be Chardonnay.  If everything goes to plan, which is never does, by the end of the week I’ll be taking those little babies off the vine and Harvest 2011 will officially be underway at The Good Earth.  I can’t wait!… but I have too.

A few year’s ago Ross Wise, Winemaker at Flat Rock Cellars and our inaugural winemaker, made a Letterman style list “Top 10 Reasons Ross Loves Harvest” so I thought I would do the same only this time, according to Dre.

Here’s tonight’s “Top 10” list ladies and gentlemen – “Top 10 Reasons Dre LOVES Harvest”:

10. Cold pizza becomes a breakfast food and cold coffee is the perfect pairing.

9. I get to spend the next few months turning a child’s treat of grape juice into an adult’s treat of tasty wine.

8. I don’t have to hit the gym until Christmas.

7. Showering becomes optional.

6. The winery gives me a free t-shirt to destroy.

5. At moments I am literally up to my eyeballs in grapes.

4. I can save money because there is no time to spend it.

3. The smell of new barrels.

2. I forget my car is not a forklift and try to put it in reverse with the blinker.

1. Beer is extra delicious when you smell like wine!

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