David Coffaro Vineyard
          and Winery Winemaker's Diary

arrow August 11 - August 17, 2013

Tuesday August  13, 2013

I was only a bad kid a few times. I was usually easy after my Father died when i was 10. I remember one time so most of you may think this as gross..........but i still have a stream.

males are encouraged to pee while standing up. I remember Susie at ten years old encouraging Koovie, her new dog to pee with out sitting down. He was confused at first but figured it out faster than I. Dogs learn and after a time, I figured it out before I was 6.

This is a little gross but this diary is for me so I want to document some things from my past before I become incapable.........

I lived in a house that had a long stair case going down to the garden below. we were on a hill which is fun since we had three levels, just like what Kate lives in in San Francisco now, BUT she has someone up above her. We also had a roof and it would have to be attended at times. The roof was flat and I remember being up there a few times. How it would drain I do not remember.

So I remember once at least when i was down in the second level and found out I had to pee. A stream down the staircase as far as I could to the bottom level was fun........

Now to the present.......

Harvest is early. I know some have said we are delayed........I disagree........

8:30 pm: It is 83 degrees right now. I know for most of the nation that is not surprising. By 8pm we are usually down to 60 or rarely 70 so over 80 degrees at 8pm is rare. That usually means Harvest is near. We did sugar and acid checks and it is obvious.........Pinot sparkling is Thursday and Sauv Blanc is early next week and Zinfandel in August is a real possibility..........Catarino agrees, Matt agrees, we are ready.......

It was 100 degrees high today and it may be hotter tomorrow.........time will tell

Wednesday August 14, 2013

Here's an interesting article:  How to make it in the wine business: Keeping your glass — and your wallet — half full

I have heard much of this stuff before and I of course disagree with a lot of it. I started with nothing and have done OK and I do not charge much for my wine. The secrete is an owner of a winery has to be in control.

We will start picking Pinot tomorrow morning at 6:30 Am. We are looking for low sugar so we must avoid some of the ripper bunches. Sparkling wine must start at 19-20% sugar.

Soon I will be heading off for my doctor's check up. They draw blood and give me the results every six months. After that Pat and I head off to Costco to purchase some food for our pick-up party. 

Friday August  16, 2013

I was too hyper yesterday to do a diary. We did harvest 1800 pounds of Pinot Noir and racked it today after settling the solids at 30 degrees in our freezer over night. We now have 140 gallons of juice at 21.3 sugar and a PH of 3.1 which will be the base of our first sparkling wine for 2013. We will add the yeast soon after it warms up to 55 degrees. We are very happy with the results.

We have two clones of Sauvignon Blanc growing down by the creek. We checked the sugar the other day and one was at 21 brix and the other at 23 brix. We also have Barbera which needs to be thinned and the Zinfandel on the knoll. Those sugars should be low with high acid. Matt and I have discussed the possibility of making another sparkling wine from these grapes. We would use the highest sugar Sauv Blanc and add some Barbera and Zinfandel. Again we would be aiming for around 20 brix for the blend. We do not sell a lot of Sauv Blanc so we do not want to make much wine so we will save the less ripe section for our white wine. We will have fun again next week.

As some of you know I can be aloof toward customers. All my life I have disliked small talk. Many times as a young person I was dragged a long to friends and relatives places and would have to sit and listen to conversations of little significance. That is one of the reasons I do not like to carry on a conversation with some customers unless I am in the mood WHICH is rare. In the last several years after being asked "How are you doing?" my favorite reply to most people has been "I'm still around.....". I usually say it with a straight face and I know some people take it wrong. It is meant to get attention and as a joke. I will not be saying that again. This week I am trying to make an effort to be more friendly when greeting anyone. It is the nice thing to do. I am a curmudgeon and it will be hard to change.



For any comments or questions I encourage any of you to e-mail.....david@coffaro.com

Dave


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