Sunday, August 21, 2011

My Last Day at Chateau Montelena

This past Wednesday was my last day at Chateau Montelena – I go back to school on Monday for my final semester of viticulture study at Santa Rosa Junior College. While I am happy to be returning to classes, I am sad that my Montelena summer vineyard “internship” is over, and want to thank everyone who played a role in making it the valuable experience I hoped it would be. I learned a lot of things about growing grapes that I expected to learn – methods of irrigation, canopy management, and pest control, among others. What I did not expect to learn: how hard the work really is! Now when I hear someone say “the vineyard is where wine is made,” I will understand firsthand what they mean. I also did not expect that I would enjoy the company of my coworkers as much as I did – they helped to make each vineyard day a good one for me with their positive attitudes, good nature, and guidance. Jamie Rothberg, Marketing Coordinator, allowed me to share her blog space and was always helpful and responsive to my questions. But my biggest thanks has to go to Montelena’s Vineyard Manager, Dave Vella. Dave related to my desire to learn, and was willing to give me this opportunity, something for which I will always be grateful. On my last day, I posed for this picture with some of the vineyard crew. Only half were available at the time we took the picture, but my thoughts were with all 13 of them…Hasta la vista!

Friday, August 12, 2011

American Dream

Placido Garcia Hernandez, Montelena’s vineyard foreman, tells the quintessential story of the American dream. I sat down with this integral member of the Chateau Montelena team to learn more about his life and work in the vineyards. Placido, whose birthday is July 4th, came to California from Mexico in 1961. As a teenager, he worked hard, picking tomatoes, melons, pears and peaches in the fields and orchards of Sacramento, eventually working his way west to his first grape harvest in the Napa Valley. He has been with Chateau Montelena for 37 years, since 1974. When I asked Placido what the best thing is about working at Montelena, he replied without even thinking about it - “every day.” Every day he is happy to be here, and thanks God he still has the energy to work. He explained that Montelena is a very special place, a “nice place to work,” where there is good communication and support, and where it feels like family. Most of all, Placido told me, Montelena is what enabled him to realize his American dream: that of buying a home and sending his children to school. He is proud that he has been able to share his dream with his wife Maria and their family of four girls (including a set of twins) and a boy, all grown now with children of their own – his six grandchildren. He is also very proud of the fact that he has been a part of the many changes that have taken place here since he started. He told me how different Montelena looked back then (fewer vines) and also how different Calistoga was – he can remember when you could buy a pitcher of “cerveza” for one dollar! I was curious to get his take on the Paris tasting and what happened in 1976; Placido remembers that it was a “big deal” – but not just for Chateau Montelena. That event put Napa on the virtual world wine map, and everyone who made wine in the Napa Valley was forever inspired to strive to make the best wine they possibly could. Placido admits he doesn’t really know much about making wine or even describing wine – he “can only say if it’s good” – but he does know about grapes and vines. I’ve admired his expertise and have been fortunate to have his guidance and support this summer. It would be hard to imagine Chateau Montelena without Placido!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Veraison

Today, Montelena’s vineyard signaled the first sign of veraison – every year, one of the most important events in the vineyard that starts the countdown to harvest. Exactly what triggers this remarkable event isn’t fully known, but it may have something to do with seed maturity. Veraison means, literally, the “change of color of the grape berries” – basically, the onset of berry ripening. During this period, the vine switches its resources to ripening the fruit, and leaf and cane growth subside. The berries soften, seeds turn from green to brown, acids decline and sugars accumulate and fruity aromas develop. Not coincidentally, this is nature’s way of making the fruit appealing to animals! This morning’s assignment was leaf pulling in the fruit zone – to increase air circulation around the berries and give them more sun exposure. It was during this exercise that I pulled away leaves on one cluster to reveal, for the first time, purple berries. I ooh’d and aah’d with delight, and had to run back to my car to get my camera, afraid if I went back later and tried to find that exact bunch, I wouldn’t be able to find it. The vineyard crew carried on, unphased – though I think they were somewhat amused at my enthusiasm for something they have all seen already many times. The result of that effort is the photo here, which I think you’ll agree is a thing of beauty! p.s. these are Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.