What we drink when we are not drinking Barolo.

Champagne of course!

 Sipping on delicious bubbles with friends in Serralunga d'Alba was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. If you find yourself visiting this spectacular village, make sure you stop by Vinoteca Centro Storico (Via Roma 6, Serralunga d'Alba; 011-39-0173-613-203). It has become one of my favorite places to eat and drink in Piedmont.

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How I spent my 33rd Birthday.

It was an exciting day because my Birthday happened to fall on the same day we picked the Rocche vineyard. The day was long and we didn't finish until after 9pm but that did not stop us from enjoying a  bottle or two of celebratory bubbles in Alba. I can't wait until it is released and I get to drink the 2011 Vietti Rocche, Barolo. 

Drenched in wine after draining the tank.

 Rocche (nebbiolo) grapes arriving on the sorting table.

 After we pressed a tank of Barbera it was time to shovel the pomace into plastic containers. The pomace  will be delivered to a local distillery and made into grappa.

 After a much needed shower it was out for some drinks with friends and HD. 

Harvesting Dolcetto.

After many hours of handpicking grapes, we arrive back at the winery to begin the magical process of making wine. 

One of many trucks that will arrive with grapes harvested this morning.

dolcetto grapes.

HD drops the grapes into the vibratory table.

The sorting table.

 

Up the conveyor belt to be destemmed and crushed.

 The grape must goes into the tank.

 Filling up the tank with the grape must.

The view is spectacular up here!

The babo is used to check the brix. Brix is a measurement of the amount of sugar in a liquid. The sugars will convert to alcohol during fermentation. 

Topping off the barrels and learning how to work in the winery.

This week was very exciting at the winery. We had to top of the barrels and it was extremely physically demanding. Every single muscle of my body was in pain after topping off over 800 barrels. 

Trying to get the bung out.

Success!

Working hard!

I learned how to siphon wine out of a barrel which ended in a mess my first time. I didn’t think the wine was going to come out as fast as it did so I ended up with wine in my hair, face, and all of my shirt. By the second time I had mastered the art.

Practice makes almost perfect.

Look! They gave me a gun!

Staying focused.

I also learned how to check the stainless steel fermentation tanks to make sure the wine was in sound and in good health. Following the Cellar master was intense. I had no idea how much work really goes into the daily operations of running a successful winery.

Heigh ho, heigh ho, off to work I go! The last day of green harvest!

I began my morning at 6 am to work the last day of green harvest from a single vineyard of Barbera grapes. The vines were planted in 1998 and are about 5000 plants per hectare or 2.4 acres. The day was long (about 9 1/2 hours) and very hot. I finished the day sunburned and sore but it was very rewarding.

I  have so much respect for the many men and women who work in the fields on a daily basis. It really makes you think about how much hard work goes into your glass of wine. 

The next time you pop the cork maybe you will join me with big cheers in their honor?

My commute to work.

Just another day at the office.

Learning how to do a green harvest in Piemonte.

 We are settled in Piemonte after traveling for over four months visiting different wine regions and visiting our favorite producers. I have enjoyed every part of this adventure but the real reason we are here is to work the harvest. 

I followed my winemaker (LC) around yesterday and I learned how to cut for a green harvest. I also visited our vineyards in Barbaresco and in Asti. I was taught how to taste the grapes for analyzing the skins for color, and seeds for tannins. It seemed like I ate my weight in grapes but I did get an understanding of the different clones, soil, affect the pH, sugar content and total acid content. 

According to Wikipedia, a green harvest is the removal of immature grape bunches, typically for the purpose of decreasing yield.

 Green harvesting is a relatively modern practice most often used to produce fine wine. Removing the tiny, immature grapes while they are still green induces the vine to put all its energy into developing the remaining grapes.

 In theory this results in better ripening and the development of more numerous and mature flavor compounds. In the absence of a green harvest, a healthy, vigorous vine can produce dilute, unripe grapes.

 I was taught that it is important to have one cluster per cane and no more than six clusters per vine. You also need to factor where the grape cluster is positioned. For example if there are two cluster on a cane you would leave the grapes that are closer to the base because it tends to receive more energy. 

The art of deciding which grape cluster gets the cut and how many to leave.

The unlucky bunches. (a few bottles of wine)

80 year old Nebbiolo vine. 

One of my many offices.  (Lazzarito vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba)

This is at the beginning of the morning which started a 6:45 am but by 3 in the afternoon I had drunk four bottles of water, was drenched in sweat, had stepped in mud, was followed by bees, and had walked in a few spider webs. To me, it was a perfect day!

Would you believe that the next two photos are two separate vineyards by very well known producers (I will not reveal their names, but I was shocked.) Both are planted with barbera but it is unbelievable that Vineyard #1 is so overgrown.  

Vineyard #1 is in need of some TLC.

Vineyard #2 

Moscato grapes.

Dolcetto grapes.

Fresh from the garden next to the Lazzarito vineyard. Fresh zucchini, zucchini flowers, melon, and hazelnuts. 

A visit to Pompeii.

In 79 AD when Mt. Vesuvius erupted it left a perfectly preserved glimpse of a city that once was vibrant and alive. Lava and ash destroys the city of Pompeii and Herculaneum along with the nearby vineyards. Since Pompeii was rediscovered in the 1700’s, much has been learned about its history.

We visited Pompeii with our friends from Mastroberardino winery to view the town and get an amazing tour of the vineyards that they have planted. Since the late 90’s, they had begun experimenting with ancient grape varieties within the walls of Pompeii.

Inside the vineyard.

Fountain inside one of the five vineyards.

While touring the streets it was interesting to see how important wine was to this ancient city. We saw many anforas (an ancient jar with two handles and a narrow neck used to hold or make wine) inside many of the homes.

Anfora 

Anforas in a typical home.

looking inside a home

wall murals inside a home

indoor fountain used to collect rain water for bathing

outdoor fountain perhaps used for drinking water

After two centuries of excavation, archaeologists have still not uncovered all the town. Who knows what hidden treasure awaits for them to find.