If at all possible I like to break away for at least a morning and go to pick grapes during the harvest at a local New England winery. Two years ago I made it to Saltwater Farms on a glorious fall day. This year the beginning of the Pinot Noir pick at Diamond Hill happened to be on a day I could actually get there, so off to Cumberland we go. Mother Nature once again provided a spectacular day for anything, and a morning in the vineyards is a relaxing way to just chill out and think. I find it very therapeutic.
Five or six volunteers arrived, and after a quick instructional talk were turned loose. The
Beautiful Bunches
My two rows!
fruit this year is pretty spectacular, ripe, large clusters of dark Pinot Noir berries abounded. There was very little to worry about with regard to avoiding bad fruit, as it was universally good. Occasionally a berry or three deserved to get knocked off, but virtually everything went in the bins. The winemaker has no excuses – 2014 should be a killer Pinot vintage for Diamond Hill.
My three hours went by quickly, but I did manage to clear two rows of grapes. This is
The spoils
something I would gladly do for free, but the folks at Diamond Hill pay in wine, so I left with a bottle of 2007 Pinot Noir and another of the Cranberry Apple wine. Such a deal!
I’m looking forward to next year, although one of these years the weather is not going to be so spectacular.
A votre sante!
Leave a Reply