Vino and Dino

The very night I wrote that last post we changed our minds. Another look at the grapes and I grew a little more nervous about the start of the rot, the weather didn’t look like it would do anything positive for the bunches and the start of a few cold nights meant the leaves had stopped being able to soak up the sunshine and shove the sugars along in the grapes. There was little to be gained and some to be lost, so eight hours after I posted that blog and after a little phone piggy-in-the-middle with Ulrich the winemaker and Trent, we decided to get up early the next morning and pick the grapes.

I had enough presence of sleepy mind to charge the battery for the camera up so we could record a few bits. I may not do this again because it has taught me three things: I have a laugh that occasionally tends towards Walter Brennan* when I’m a little over-excited; I say ‘get in’ mindnumbingly frequently when I’m a little over-excited; and I occasionally forget to tell Trent what a lazy sod he is when I’m a little over-excited.

I know…the tedious among you will have noticed that the grass needs mowing but you can’t mow near to when you pick the grapes as the clippings stick to the bunches when you put the crates on the ground: upstairs for thinking, downstairs for dancing.

The even more in-want-of-something-to-do-in-life would’ve noticed (around 8mins 30secs in) that Trent appears to have a mechanical right arm.

Ulrich emailed a couple of days later to say that the weight of the grapes was 300kg and the juice that was extracted around 200 litres. Allowing for a little to be lost along the way to bottling, we may get 250 bottles of lovely sparkling wine…but not until spring after next when the process is complete. More about each part of the winemaking process as takes place, if I don’t get distracted.

* You have to wait until the last half a second for the chuckle but don’t dodge the singing….I’d be very happy if I could sing/drink/wear a suit like Dean Martin

  • Son and I watched your video with fascination. Did note that Trent seemed to be doing all the picking though!!! Very exciting but you do saw 'get in' far too much!

  • Trent does seem very knowledgable. It's almost as if it's his vinyard. You'll be gutted if he ever leaves.
    Lovely little film and totally facinating to see the inner goings on of something most of us would never normally get the chance to see. Do hope you get lovely wine.

  • How absolutely fantastic – I'm glad you shared the excitement with us!

    I've never heard anyone say "get in" in such a way. It's normally what I say in a cross tone to the cats when they want to stay out in the garden. Is this a local coarse Devon thing or am I just missing some culture?

  • Get in!

    I can imagine the excitement. Trent does seem to know his grapes. I was half tempted to throw my hat into the "I want Trent's job ring" after watching these Do Lectures.

    http://www.thedolectures.com/speakers/speakers-2010/alice-holden

    http://www.thedolectures.com/speakers/speakers-2010/peter-segger

    http://www.thedolectures.com/speakers/speakers-2010/darina-allen

    But I would have to confess to knowing bugger all about grapes.

    But if ever you fancy a hand with the AV side of things do give me a shout…….

    Maybe do something at the next stage with the wine given that Ulrich's not far from me.

    You got my number.

    Simon

  • I am so hideously embarassed!! I asked the Bedsock whether he had heard the phrase "Get in!" and he said "Yeah a lot of people use it – something to do with footie probably". Since then he has added "Get in!" to the end of anything even vaguely appropriate – my attempt to copy it still sounded like I was shouting at the cats. 🙁

  • We are loving this Tyrolean White Trousered Disco Grape Picker look that Trent is modelling. Wish we had thought of it earlier and we could have dumped the Construction Worker character.

  • fantastic! Great to see how it I am really happens. I am _really_ looking forward to planting my own vinyard now 🙂

  • You also say "lovely job" quite a lot.
    This is actually a lot less boring than I expected.
    I am rather looking forward to this journey provided that your vocabulary improves just a bit. And if you ever say "well all things considered" or "it's a game of two halves": then I reserve the right to break one of your best bottles over your head.
    Regarding Dean Martin…not just sing/wear a suit/drinking but also he was very, very good at smoking and that cowboy thing of tilting your hat forward when sleeping – very tricky. I have been practicing.

  • Nothing more satisfying than a nicely packed bunch of grapes.

    Also you're wearing gloves – you big wimp – Trent wasn't.

    Has "top banana" been substituted for "get in" now!

    Loved the video though.

  • Most of you are, of course, very rude. Trent wasnt wearing gloves and I was…this was mostly so that I could see my fingers more clearly in amongst the vines…you may wish to ask Trent which of us cut their finger down to the core? *smug face*

    PG – Im pleased you are able to spell fascination – not something all the commenters can boast. And Trent was picking purely as I was enjoying my Spielberg moment.

    Michelle – you're rude

    Lia – Trent seems knowledgable but I fed him all the lines.

    VP – you're rude

    Simon – you will have to create your own Village People-like character to stand a chance

    Arabella – cover your head in shame

    VP – You are so right…Trent will stop at nothing to draw in that special crowd

    Jaonne – good luck with the vineyard…wear gloves

    JAS – I undertake never to use those phrases. However, much though Dino was, as you say, adept at wearing a hat just so and smoking, I suspect you are more Dean Friedman than Dean Martin.

    Mike – since that mighty one-gig band Top Banana folded, I have retired this phrase from my tedious vocabulary. It comes out only on the anniverary of that gig

    cw – Non

  • Village People character you say? Like that is it on Otter Farm…..;-)

    I'll start with the hat and work on my act.

    The Do Lectures are good tho are they not?

    Simon

  • Simon – They are, would love to go one year.

    Benjiboy – pleased to know the HPF are enjoying themselves, yr attendance is appreciated. Nice website yrself

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