BOWBlog Page
Here at BOW, we sometimes like to write about what we're up to. This Blog page is our chance to report from the front line of wine making and we hope you like our silly little thoughts!
Grapes and Ceramic animals.
Posted on: 3rd September, 2009
In so many ways the harvest has arrived. Temperature is perfect for the crush, the bees are out, there is that morning crispness and it is our favorite time of year! We so love our jobs these days. For example, this week I was freed from the office chair as I drove (twice) to Delfosse Vineyards in Faber VA (Just south of Charlottesville) to drop off empty and then pick up the filled yellow harvest lugs. Each weighs 35 pounds full; about 1300 pounds when stacked on a palette. Up to eight tons when fully loaded.
I really enjoy the driving. Cell phone does not work most of the time so I am freed from the need to reply. The rig rocks down the road and I set my own pace and feel the tempo of the road. This is a very pretty state and I've seen 700 miles of it this week: Lots of mom and pop restaurants trying to make it with temporary signs in the window asking me to come in for a special treat. The gift shop at Skyline Drive from the top if I-64; always a treat looking on high down at the valleys below. Lots of small rivers separating each and every county I passed through. A new Albemarle roadside brewery beckoned but I passed by. There's lots to see in the towns and the countryside flying by at 70 mph. I call it "Sightseeing at 70". Every fourth or fifth house has a car parked out front with a for sale sign -- never a "for rent" sign, maybe that would be a good idea though...kinda a new business model. There's also lots of kudzo out there. Especially down south and West of Charlottesville. It is as bad as they say and it covers everything like giant, mutant, unforgiving green mat. But then it ends and you have a forest again. It's strange stuff...seems like it's sent from outer space.
There are lots of ceramic animals out there. Sometimes I make it my job to search them out. I imagine going postal and swerving to take them out. But that would be sad for the people who obviously love their ceramic gnomes and squirrels and deer and occasional life-size baby elephants....so I think of other distractions. The radio also turns decidedly country. No NPR, no classical, no alt rock. I love it. I love Country...especially when I don't have a choice. Really I do. Listen to the soundtrack at BOW. Lots of country mixed in. 'Course if peace broke out worldwide...how would I find out?
When I get to my destination, let's say to pick up fruit, there's work to be done. I have a palette jack in the back of the 32 foot panel truck and I move each 1000 pound stack of lugs into place. The forklift drops em off, I roll em into place. All the fruit containers must be carefully stacked so that they do not tip over in transit and spew grapes all over the back of the truck. That has happened in the past. It's a learning process and not pretty at all when it happens. Once loaded up, I typically talk to the staff a bit..."how's the brix looking?" "Harvest coming together?" "How're the birds treating you this year?" It's farmer talk. I love farmer talk and I war my farmer clothes when I make these trips. Then I head back out onto the road.
Most of the wineries and vineyards are waaaaay back on small side roads where conditions are perfect for growing awesome fruit but not so perfect for a 32 foot long box truck. I always enjoy the challenge of getting that truck back into those places. Wednesday, I had to drop of 80 lugs at a farm in Woodstock. I drove down a very windy gravel road to a long single lane river bridge. First off, the bridge was not clearly capable of taking the truck. Second, it was a ninety degree angle turn from the road onto that bridge. I had to do some creative jack and forth to negotiate the corner and get out on the bridge. Once across, I backed half a mile up a road narrower than the rig past chickens, cars, and a house, low branches and intruding trees. I was in heaven. I used to move 70 foot long mobile homes down the road and up mountains and I love getting into impossible places. (It's kinda like wooing Sharon...it should have been impossible for me to do because she's pretty much outta my league.)
When I get back to BOW it's often late in the day but Sharon and Rick are there to unload the truck. All the fruit goes into the refrigerator for the night to be pressed off the next day. Once the truck is unloaded in the last twilight, it smells sublime. The juice on the floor smells so sweet. As time goes by it will build up and get both slippery and sticky and the rig will smell like a giant sherbet truck going down the road. And I'll happily be driving it along the state's back roads, content to know that my lovely wife is waiting for my return so that the crush can continue and the wine can be made. Gosh how we so love our jobs these days.
Search
Categories
- Kristin's Blog (0)
- Rick's Blog (1)
- Brian's Blog (49)
- Sharon's Blog (5)
- Tara's Blog (1)
Archives
Other Blog Links
- One Journey at a Time. My brother Ben and his wife Kathy travelled around the country this summer with their two kids, Genevieve and Sebastian. Kathy wrote a storyu of the trip and she has posted her photos and story of their visit to us. Enjoy!
- Portuguese Water Dogs (not named Bo) shine in the spotlight
- A lovely online article about BOW in Tasting and Touring Magazine.
- A visitor's blog and photos about BOW from late May, 2009
- A story about BOW's grand opening from the May 8, 2008 Fauquier Times Democrat.
- Editorial in the Fauquier Times Democrat regarding Green Business as Good Business. The editorialist, Joe Gumino, a good friend of BOW, died unexpectedly soon after this editorial was published and we miss him dearly.
- Check out a great article on Barrel Oak Winery's successes in the first year. Thank you Bill Walsh at the Fauquier Times Democrat!
- Read about our green building in the Piedmont Virginian.
- Read about BOW in the Wall Street Journal Online!
- The Unemployed Mom. See what a mom thinks about BOW as the child friendly winery of Virginia!
- BOWHaus Joy: The other other Red wine! Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Virginia is for Lovers with a bottle of our very special limited release. Have you seen it? Our beloved Bogart is racing up the label!
- Winery Info for: Barrel Oak Winery
- BARREL OAK Winery
- Hair of the Dog, Nectar of the Gods: Pooch-Friendly Wineries
- BOW WOW! BARREL OAK WINERY! NORTHERN VIRGINIA'S NEWEST FAMILY WINERY
- Barrel Oak Winery by K. L. Sullivan
- BOW Wows the Wine Dogs
- Wine tasting in Virginia...
- Barrel Oak Winery: Visiting VA Vineyards
- If You Could Imagine Doing Anything Else, What Would It Be?
- Barrel Oak Winery:"Green" Wine is Good Business
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Share This Article