Christmas visit in Walla Walla!!!!

Today my family and I got back from Walla Walla where I showed my sister around the city.  (The key points being my school and where I worked harvest at Tertulia Cellars.)  Then we went wine tasting and I was able to check off 3 more wineries from the list. (Long Shadows Vintners, Fort Walla Walla Cellars, and Cavu.)
   Long Shadows was my favorite of the three wineries.  All of their wines were outstanding and I loved the concept they had for the their winery.  This concept was to find the best winemakers and a varietal they are good at, and then have them make a wine from that varietal.   Each wine make then has a winery name for that varietal or blend of wine and then collaborates with the owners about the wine he or she has made. The name Long Shadows refers to the idea that they cast a "long shadow" across the wine industry in walla walla, and even the globe as they only have one American winemaker and the others coming from germany and france.  If you ever come to Walla Walla this is a must try place!
 Hoping you all are having a very happy holiday season!
 

  

Happy Holidays!

Hello everyone I am really bad at this but have been busy. But now that I am done for the semester I have some time to update you all on what has been happening.
It was a good semester and I feel I did well.   I have some wine that I am making at my home and it is progressing very nicely.  The red wine is almost ready to bottle.  The Chardonnay on the other hand still has a lot of malolactic acid and is also really acidic.  So it probably will not be ready to drink for at least five to seven years.  But oh well that is how a lot of the wines in the walla walla valley are going to turn out due to the weather and how the grapes were just not getting there before it got cold.
I am looking forward to the next semester and the new year.  I have a new years resolutions list going to help make changes I feel I need to make in my life.  This will probably be the last time a post a blog before christmas and even the new year so I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hello from the crazy world of wine!

So I know it has been a while (almost a month), so I thought that I would give you an update on what is happening in good ol' Walla Walla.  First off it is really pretty here in fall lovely golden leaves especially in the vineyards.  This weekend my parents came to visit me and we went to some wineries. They came by on saturday to see me cause I was pouring wine at a'Maurice winery.  Which was a lot of fun I spent the whole day talking about and pouring wine.
   In school we are working hard getting our projects together to get ready to present in about a week and a half or so and our wines for the school are coming along very nicely.  I have spent a lot of time there working with the instructor helping with whatever he needs help with.  I am doing well in school and found out that winemakers are in our own special class of insane.  Which made me laugh and say "yep I can totally see that."
As for work, harvest is sadly over I had a lot of fun working for Quentin and can't wait until he begins to blend the wines at Tertulia Cellars.
  I have now started my quest to taste at every winery in the Walla Walla valley.  And I will keep you all updated with a tally and which wines I have added to ones I have tasted.  So far I have tasted 26 of the 76 wineries on the Walla Walla Wine Alliance map.  If anyone wants one of these maps let me know and I can bring one home for you to have.
  I came down with a little cold earlier on friday and this weekend I am resting up some to try and get better so i can be in full health for school and what ever work may come my way.
I wish you all the best and I hope you all are doing well.

Punch Overs and Pump downs

LOL  It is actually Punch Downs and Pump overs but when you talk to winemakers and cellar rats we all mix up the two a bit. (since we say them so often)  Both are means of red wine skin Maceration.  Confused yet?  I would be but fortunately I know what this means. Maceration is the leaching of that beautiful deep red color you get when you drink a good red wine. (Word of the day for yalls)  This is also important in leaching the polyphenols or the tannins and flavor compounds out of the grape skins.  So overall a very important process that needs to be done in order to make a good red wine.
Well today I was at work and I did punch down and pump overs.  We use pump overs when the red wine is in a tank because a punch down would be near to impossible to punch down the cap of skins on the top and we do punch downs for the smaller bin sized fermentations.  Today was awesome because I ddi these pump overs with a beautiful background of a sunset in the vineyard.  :)  This to me is one of those moments that define wine and all that is has to offer to the world.
I also played in some must the other day and here is a picture of me doing so. (Sorry Megs wish you were here and I Love You!! Maybe next year?)

Finally

After some frustration with the cable company I finally have my internet working again! :)
Now to the updates.
School is going well getting a little busy with work and school but that is the life of a winemaker. :)  We started harvest on wednesday and we are now about 30% done with our harvest.  On saturday I rehydrated yeast and added it to our Cabernet Sauvignon must!  Everything is soo much fun.  Some days I taste grapes and then the next day I am cleaning hoses and tanks.  I even got to play in the must a little bit. :)  I feel like I am constantly on the move.  Which makes any down time I have go really slowly.

First Day

Today I had my first day of classes.  My classes seem interesting and I really like my teachers.  I am looking forward to the next 10 weeks.  Today I was up at 4:45 am and at Tertulia Cellars by 6.  I had an early start but I received wine for helping him out.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful and now for the first time in 9 months I actually have homework! Yay!
I really am enjoying myself and having a blast pursuing my passion.

First Blood

Yesterday at Tertulia Cellars we cleaned the grape press to accept what Quentin called the first blood.  Or in other terms the first grapes of the season.  In fact some of the first grapes for the valley.  We pressed 2 tons of grapes for a man named Craig Nelson at Ensemble Cellars.   He was making a blanc de blancs (white of whites) sparkling wine in the method of champagne in france from chardonnay grapes.
With white grapes you immediately press the grapes to extract the juice because we do not want the tannins from the seeds or skins in white wine.  We used a bladder press which is more delicate on the grapes and extracts far more juice than a basket press.
With a bladder press you fill up the center of the barrel on the press with grapes then the outside has a bladder that is filled with air squeezing the grapes together and extracting the juice.
I am really enjoying myself and have been taking a lot of notes on what I am learning from Quentin.  Quentin is really a great guy, he is really nice and informative, I am really glad I am working for him.  I look forward to the harvest and the upcoming year.

Finally out of the stone age!

Today I had my internet finally set up so I can now update everyone on what has been going on.
So I am moved in and situated in my new apartment which is amazing!  (Thank you mom and dad)
I went on monday to Tertulia Cellars to talk to the winemaker Quentin about things and ended up staying helping him sulfur barrels.
On tuesday I went back to Tertulia Cellars again and learned a lot.  I was able to walk in the vineyard with Quentin and he talked to me about how we determine when to harvest and what to look for.  We took brix readings and measured acid levels in the grape juice.
Today I had orientation for the school and walked the campus learning what is available to me and where I can find it.  I also met my amazing teachers who will be teaching all I will need to know to make wine.
So far I am loving my new place and loving the valley.  It is soo beautiful here!  I wish that everyone could be here with me admiring one of God's greatest creations.  And so you all can drink wine with me of course.  School starts up on monday and I am really excited, I hope all will go well.
I hope you all can make it up to visit me here soon. :)

busy busy busy

Today was a start to a very busy couple of days.  I have been looking through paperwork for employment and running errands trying to tie up all of the loose ends before I move on friday for Walla Walla.  There is much to do still and I am getting a little anxious and really wanting school to start.  I am really hoping all goes well in the next few days and that everything that needs to get done will get done.
I am hoping that I will get to go say hi to those of you who are at Whitworth to see how you all are doing, and to say farewell for now.
Wish me luck on my move to my new hometown of Walla Walla Washington.

Wine of course

So i have decided that before I become busy with with moving, work, and school I would talk a little about what wine means to  me.

Wine is an expression of art, one that requires sunlight, water and love to create.

It is romance, love and laughter.

Good wine is a result of hard work and stewardship of the grape and the vine.

Wine is a hot sunny day on the deck and reading a good book.

Wine is an adventure, one that with imagination will take you to where that wine was made.

Wine is a romantic evening with your lover.

It is a product of the elements: earth, air, fire, water, and human life.

Wine is a means of bringing people together, and a means of making connections with other people.

Wine is an overall expression of joy sought and found by many.

A glass of wine is like a sunset, graceful and beautiful in many ways.

The beauty of nature from the streams and forests can be found in a glass of wine.

The smell of the vineyard is like inhaling birth.

Wine is my love affair it is my world and my life.

I would like to hear about something you all have a passion in and what that passion means to you.  So if you wish to please go ahead and compose an email to me so i can read all about it.  The best way to email me is though facebook email.

Hello

Hello everyone so I decided to start a blog for those to whom I love and cherish in my life.  I wanted to keep those people who I care about informed about my life and where I am and what is going on with me.
Right now I am still in spokane, and I am planning on moving down to Walla Walla on the 10th of September.  I will be attending Walla Walla's school of Enology and Viticulture, and I have a job working for Tertulia Cellars.  Yes I am very excited to move and jump-start my career as winemaker, but also I am a little nervous.  Life will be hectic for this first month or two of school and work.  But, I am as ready as i will ever be and I hope for the best.