Category Archives: Harvest

Punching the cap of Zinfandel by hand… literally

Posted on 10/02/2011 by Ryan ODonnell in Harvest, Techniques 1 Comment

I know winemakers like their tools but personally, I’m not a fan of the punch down tool. This is really only possible because my batch sizes are manageable and not dealing with macro bins galore so this technique isn’t exactly … Continue reading →

2009 Red Wine Production

Posted on 10/19/2009 by Ryan ODonnell in Harvest Leave a comment

This is a LOT more than I expected to make. Seriously. Granted I bought new barrels and corny kegs for topping up but the carboys were NOT part of the plan. I read a bunch of notes and articles about … Continue reading →

Picking Cabernet Sauvignon at Bennet Ridge Vineyard

Posted on 10/05/2009 by Ryan ODonnell in Harvest Leave a comment

The day was supposed to start early but we got there a little later than hoped. My father came with for assistance picking to for photo ops really. We wasted no time getting the fruit in bins. Bob Bennet, the … Continue reading →

Harvest Starts! Picking Syrah in Sonoma Valley

Posted on 09/14/2009 by Ryan ODonnell in Harvest Leave a comment

Saturday night, I got an email that the Syrah grapes in Sonoma were ready to be picked and that I could come up whenever to pick the crop. This threw me for a loop because I had every intention to … Continue reading →