Nor Easter!!!!

[AlFulchino]

"I need to tell you, it was a long two days around here. We had no Internet because Charter's main office for the region is down in the area that got slammed. No INTERNET for 2 days."

just two days? n

 

[Runningwolf]

LOL poor Al! Hey Father Al, how did your vineyard do this year with all the crazy weather? I amagine you're done crushing and probably pressing by now?

 

[AlFulchino]

Dan, three times this yr w / o power for a week each time...weird yr...had enough heat but also some cool spells early...late in the yr starting w hurricane Irene we have had close to 25 inches of rain in sixty days plus the recent snow...so its been a challenge in terms of trying to get chores completed...harvest was double the 2010 vintage in terms of poundage and that begged for more tanks in the winery...pressing was completed early last week...all the wine is in the winery except for 200 gallons while i wait some more tanks....it is an exciting time because i have two new wines coming out soon ( a first for each blend to have been released) and one is a knockout red.

The next challenge is turning what is now sitting in the winery into the next vintage release worthy of myself and my customers .....in the meanwhile, i have set up half the forms for the foundation and will pour half next week ...that and other tasks gives me time to think about what each new wine presents and what i have to do to coach one each to the next yr

how is your new venture going?

 

[grapeman]

So in other words, it was a great year, eh?

I can't tell you how many people say, "So it was a great growing year this year, wasn't it"?

 

[AlFulchino]

2010 was statistically better because we had nothing but heat and dry ( totally dry) weather at the vineyard from May 15 til harvest

how was your yr Rich?

 

[Runningwolf]

Thanks for the update Al. I would not trade the hours, experience, wieght loss, and knowledge for anything from the last two months. No matter what folks tell you, until you live it, you'll never really know. Harvest is hard, awesome work. We are still crushing a few cabs that'll need be pressed next week. Challenge now is keeping them warm enough to ferment before pressing. I look forward to the next steps of more racking, testing, barrel aging, etc..

 

[AlFulchino]

Thanks for your update Dan.....last yr i took a little heat because i was a little assertive about what could be done if the proverbial 'you' set mind to a task...you are living proof of a man who said to himself in *his* heart, 'this is what i want to do'....and you did it and the experience is just as you describe in your post and you are living it...there is always a way...assets or no assets....and you have opened your own doors and you never know what new door may open down the road

i am assuming you are fermenting inside...what are the outside night temps...what is the heat source for teh building?

 

[AlFulchino]

by the weight loss as you ascribed is incorrect...allow me to correct you...the proper term is body re-alignment?

 

[Runningwolf]

by the weight loss as you ascribed is incorrect...allow me to correct you...the proper term is body re-alignment?

LMAO to the tune of a good 25-30 pounds

 

[Runningwolf]

Al most fermentation is done inside. Outside temps have been 30-60* the past two weeks. Some fermentation on skins is still outside in grape bins under tarps with a heater when needed. All of the bins are not left out. Space can be an issue also.

 

[AlFulchino]

when space is not an issue then you are not making wine

 

[Runningwolf]

when space is not an issue then you are not making wine

ha ha We are making lots of wine. We also ship juice, and wine (botted, labeled and unlabeled) to many wineries all over.

 

[grapeman]

It can be funny about space at times. You get a visitor now that fermentation is about over and they see all the barrels etc of wine and say, oh my you have a lot going on. They should have seen things a few weeks ago when there were primary bins, barrels, picking lugs and equipement everywhere with hardly a spot left to walk. You rotate through things and use what space you have and if that isn't enough, you flow over into other areas. I even used the covered canopy this year for crushing and some initial ferments.

It must really be fun for you this year Al, knowing the size of your current building with double the production this year!

 

[AlFulchino]

it can be a challenge Rich as i am sure it is for you..

 

[Wade E]

Finally got power back last night and cable, phone, and internet back about 2 hours ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about DT's!!!!!!!!!! I have a lot of catching up to do here!!!!! My parents just got power back also but..................... when the power cable was ripped from the house it must have grounded out as it blew their furnace, tv, oven, radio, and a few other things! My brother and I bought them a generator for their 50th anniversary which is on the 18th of this month and also for Christmas as it was pretty expensive!! We bought them the same one I have which is a Honda 6000 watt electric start with battery!!! We brought it over last night as we picked it up yesterday after work and when we git their the electric company was all over their road so my parents told us not to bother as the juice would probably be on soon. good thing as nothing would have worked anyways except for a few lights. I finally got to use my generator after 10 years of having it though. It ran solid since Saturday night at 10:30 till yesterday around 2;30 pm. Sucks up about 9 gallons a day with furnace, water pump (Well), 3 fridges, one being my neighbors, tv., toaster oven, hot plate, and my neigbors hopper fpr his wood pellet stove.

 

[AlFulchino]

glad your doing fine Wade......i wrote a letter to the editor shortly after hurricane Katrina suggesting to my fellow citizens the need to consider things like food, water and generators because despite earnest efforts on the part of many good people in gov't, the gov't can only do so much...lats night i decided it was time to send another letter.....after reports of many attempted generator thefts in some nearby towns, i thought it wise to *suggest* the need for each citizen to properly equip and train themselves in the use of personal defense whether it be firearm, mace or martial arts...it would be better for my town to be known as defense-able to anyone thinking our area is an easy mark.....i suggest that to my friends here as well