MATHIS

Harvest is always a wild rush. This year it's also two weeks early! Grapes have been ripening so quickly there hasn't been time to post a blog about its progress. Today, we'll do a little catch up. First up is a sneak peek of the pickers at work about a week ago, hustling in the 300 block:

Next, a look back at getting ready for harvest: I go primarily by taste more than anything. But I will check the brix (measure of the sugar level) on a refractometer to double-check that my guesswork is accurate. Guess what? I'm usually right! Here's how the refractometer is used:

In the next video, I provide a brief introduction to where they're picking in Mathis Vineyard:

Finally! Harvest day arrives. And, oh! Does the picking crew hustle to harvest my Grenache! Enjoy their lightning speed:

Once the grapes are picked the next phase of the "race" is only. The truck full of my grapes is driven to our crush facility to press the Grenache which will be made into my rosé. Here's an introduction to my Grenache grapes, which are harvested specifically to make my rosé, being carefully turned into the press. My grapes are gently pressed whole cluster -- stems and all:

I'll show you the fermentation process a little later...