Even though the grapes are slow to arrive to the winery, there is still plenty of work to be done in the cellar. For this past week I've been keeping my hands full with all kinds of duties in the cellar, including SO2 additions, topping orders, sanitization of barrels and equipment, cleaning projects etc.
{Topping a barrel of Pinot Noir--at the very top of the ladder!}
Understanding the way wines are organized in the cellar is essential for keeping track of the locations of the many different kinds of wines. I've become a pro at topping wines and my secret is that I can look at a topping order and then easily locate the barrels that need topping...something that was quite confusing for me at first. (I think some of the guys in the cellar assume I knew all along!)
{Tags like these are displayed in each row to indicate the varietal, the year, and the locations of the wine. This tag tells me the number of barrels in this order, with each each barrel containing the barrel lot # and the AMS code.}
{Nearly every barrel is labeled in chalk with an AMS code and barrel lot number like this.}
{It is quite dark--and somewhat spooky--in parts of the cellar. I've learned a flashlight is an absolute essential for locating certain wines.}
Cheers,
B
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