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Just read this article in Winemaker Magazine...
One interesting point made was about the myth concerning how professional winemaking is glamorous, cool, and financially rewarding.
I would believe that this is only held by non-winemakers. Here is what the article says...
Some people who make wine on a commercial basis certainly are cool, and glamorous, and seem to be getting along in the world, but most of these folks own the vineyards and were rich before they started. The hard truth for 99% of all the people who make the wine is that it’s a challenging way to make a living. Ninety percent of the job is janitorial — cleaning tanks, hoses, barrels, floors, pumps and equipment on a constant basis — working around the clock during harvest and snatching meals and sleep when they can. Rather than shopping for Ferraris, most winemakers are hoping for a really comfortable pair of rubber boots.
Now, myself, I get people that hold to this and want to work in the winery. I simply have them rinse tanks after the first racking. What we do is to drain the tanks (500 liters), then lift the tank onto a had truck to be taken outside. the tank is then tipped and rinsed.
Tipping the tank has a drawback. the remaining sludge immediately runs out and one needs to make it a point to jump out of the way imediately or your shoes will get sludged.
I may be a little "forgetful" at times to remind people of this. As they shake the dead yeast out of their shoes, all I can say is "gee, don't you just love the glamor"?
One interesting point made was about the myth concerning how professional winemaking is glamorous, cool, and financially rewarding.
I would believe that this is only held by non-winemakers. Here is what the article says...
Some people who make wine on a commercial basis certainly are cool, and glamorous, and seem to be getting along in the world, but most of these folks own the vineyards and were rich before they started. The hard truth for 99% of all the people who make the wine is that it’s a challenging way to make a living. Ninety percent of the job is janitorial — cleaning tanks, hoses, barrels, floors, pumps and equipment on a constant basis — working around the clock during harvest and snatching meals and sleep when they can. Rather than shopping for Ferraris, most winemakers are hoping for a really comfortable pair of rubber boots.
Now, myself, I get people that hold to this and want to work in the winery. I simply have them rinse tanks after the first racking. What we do is to drain the tanks (500 liters), then lift the tank onto a had truck to be taken outside. the tank is then tipped and rinsed.
Tipping the tank has a drawback. the remaining sludge immediately runs out and one needs to make it a point to jump out of the way imediately or your shoes will get sludged.
I may be a little "forgetful" at times to remind people of this. As they shake the dead yeast out of their shoes, all I can say is "gee, don't you just love the glamor"?
