We have been testing grapes at Bingham Family Vineyards for three weeks now. Yesterday every block of grapes was tested. A few were tested today, and tomorrow, they will all be tested again. Usually the testing is spread out a little more, but there is a forecast for rain this weekend. There may be a few grapes that we need to get in before the rain such as the Gewürztraminer.

We just have one acre of those grapes, but everyone seems to like the semi-sweet wine that we make with those. We have been sold out for several months of our 2019. There will not be any 2020, so we are looking forward to the 2021 vintage this year. We have kept back a few bottles for our fall Traditional Club shipments.

After testing it looks like the Gewürztraminer grapes need a little more time for quality wine, but the Albariño might be ready for one of our winery friends before the weekend, so harvest may start very soon.

Yesterday, and normally, we use the big Home Depot buckets to crush the fruit to obtain the juice for testing. Testing for brix (or the amount of sugar in the grapes) and pH (which you want not too high and not too low). The timing of the harvest of grapes is important for the quality of the wine.

Today the girl’s used the old cone strainer and pestle to remove the juice from the skins before testing the juice.

Juicing grapes with a cone strainer and pestle set after grapes are plucked from the stems.
Juicing grapes with a cone strainer and pestle set after grapes are plucked from the stems.

Now on the work at the winery. Let’s take a look. Lights are going into the new grape press room which is huge.

Everything is still a little messy at the winery as we are finishing up the room for the presses and the big stainless steel storage tanks. Lights have gone up and now for the big white glycol coolant tubes to be put into place.

Well, the glycol tubes are brown at the moment, but they will be cleaned up and white again before they get put in. And all the mechanics of the presses checked out and in order.

Harvest is upon us, so this work will be finished up soon. Can’t wait to show you the photos then.

Blessings,
Betty

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