You probably know our Harney Lane Ambassador and Tasting Room aficionado Concetta for her welcoming spirit and perhaps her contagious laughter! This year, Concetta has been deep in the trenches taking on a new seasonal project as our honorary “Harvest Intern.” For years, Concetta has hinted to Kyle that she wants to work a harvest season out in the vineyards and winery. He never really took her seriously, until this year when he genuinely needed the extra help during what has become a very busy 2017 harvest. As with most things, she was enthusiastic and ready to take part, even purchasing her own pair of genuine work boots in the hopes of getting down in the dirt.
Concetta woke up extra early to begin her new role in mid-August. She was delighted to hand-pick Albariño grapes in the vineyard that sits directly behind the Tasting Room. She took notice of the serene setting, the beautiful clusters of grapes and the sounds of hardworking hands moving through the vines. Concetta giddily followed the fruit into the winery where it was then whole cluster pressed into fresh juice. Yum!
It’s amazing how meticulous our crews are. The fruit is beautiful and pristine – showing how well the vines are cared for throughout the year. I’m so awe-inspired and proud of what we make.
Next up, Concetta was able to partake in the processing of some of our reds, from Zinfandel and Primitivo to the Old Vine Zinfandel from our beloved Lizzy James Vineyard. She worked the sorting table on the de-stemmer where she sorted through grapes pulling out any imperfections and keeping only the best fruit. Once the fruit was de-stemmed, it was placed into multiple half ton bins that now line the winery building in its entirety. The fruit sits in bins while the fermentation process ensues. Concetta’s next job is punch-downs which essentially is mixing and stirring the grapes to extract color and tannins. Punch-downs happen about 3 times per day and generally fermentation takes up to about two weeks, providing a great work out for our newly minted intern!
Enjoy the pictures taken by Harney Lane’s first Harvest Intern and, down the road, don’t be surprised if the 2017 vintage is something Concetta is exceptionally enthusiastic about!
