More grapes!

After we received the rest of the Chardonnay on Thursday, a big thunderstorm passed by. It was pouring down rain in the valley next to us, but we only got a few sprinkles. Marinus told us to wait and watch the storm before we went out to the vineyard for samples. At the end of the day he told us we'd start at 4:30am the next morning for the Pinotage, then came by our house after dinner to tell us the grapes would be there at 4am, so he'd pick us up at 3:50am. He showed up at 3:40am to take us to work and two tractor-trailers full of grapes were waiting for us. I guess I just don't understand life on a farm. They prefer to get things done early rather than stay late. Toward the end of the day the tanks were full before the vineyard was completely harvested, so we waited for the hand-picked fruit to show up and saw that the vineyard workers were standing around talking instead of picking grapes. They have to walk behind the mechanical harvester to pick whatever it misses. The pickers usually get off work at 5pm, so they were in no hurry to finish. Before we left work, we took three bottles of wine and two weeks' salary ($143US).

On the weekend, we went to town only for groceries and spent the rest of the time on the farm. We did pump-overs on the two tanks of Pinotage, went swimming, and I sent emails to wineries in Central Otago, New Zealand to possibly work another harvest after this one. I also emailed a few contacts who might be able to help me out. So far I've only got four emails back, all telling me I'm too late. One place said they'd be finished in March because it has been such a hot summer. From what I've read, mid-April is the average start to harvest there.

Back at work today we did pump-overs and took samples. This week, we will harvest Shiraz and Merlot for pink wine, Viognier, and Pinotage with more to come next week. Alfred said last year all the grapes were in by early March, so we should be pretty busy for the next two to three weeks. The two tanks of Pinotage will be pressed on Thursday, which is five days after they were inoculated. That is very fast for a fermentation, but Marinus said he likes to press before the wine is completely dry to avoid acetate odors that are characteristic of Pinotage.