October 2021

The first couple of weeks are warm but distinctly autumnal. We wait and watch; watch and wait. We taste and test the grapes hoping for final rises in sugar levels and reductions in acids.

By the middle of the month the pinot noir are mostly black, the birds are starting to take bites— a sure sign of ripeness — and the decision is taken to harvest.  A very small crop but the fruit is deliciously sweet.

A week later, having consulted the weather forecast, we turn our attention to the chardonnay. Each day I stroll down each row, rolling out any berries with rot or ones with their skins broken by a bird or fly.

The photo shows the Offbeat Winery in full action.Our pinot noir are pressed in the small basket press; Daniel watches with care as the juice is squeezed slowly out into a container