Vintage 2012 - Day 22

I managed to lose another day thanks to my back problems, and then worked two half days with reduced duties that wouldn't make my back worse again. Day 20 Johannes was in Oslo for one of the most inappropriately timed tastings imaginable, right in the middle of vintage. On the following day I was doing a fair amount of observing and not a lot of working, but on Day 22 I got to do something really interesting. Stomping grapes! Riesling grapes!! Stomping grapes is what several members of my family think I'm actually doing by working vintage. I never thought I'd be doing it with white grapes though. The fruit was from one of the Rotenberg vineyards and will go into the amphora in a few days for fermentation. It made for cold and sticky legs but some amazing and hilarious photos as I hope you agree.

Johannes prepares the yeast, mixing in a little juice from the tank to be inoculated.

Johannes adds the yeasts to begin fermenting a barrel of grauburgunder.

Dancing monkey!

STOMP!

Adding some dry ice (CO2) to protect the foot-crushed grapes.