Countdown to Harvest!
August is here—and that means our annual “Count Down to Harvest” has begun in earnest. As is the usual at the Schoolhouse, August is the month we’ve been busy bottling: this year, a whopping 2300 cases of wine! Wow.
Meanwhile, in the vineyards, the Chardonnay couldn’t look more plump or inviting, and the Pinot Noir is all netted and the last sprays have been applied. Grapes are coloring rapidly and taking on sugar. Veraision is in full swing, and based on brix levels, we’ll most likely be picking Pinot Noir before August is over.
EVENTS
Saturday and Sunday, August 23rd & 24th—Back to School Weekend. Introducing our newly released wines with special pricing. Enjoy the historic ambiance of our garden and heirloom gazebo, admire the ripening grapes up close and taste the following new release wines: 2011 Chardonnay, 2010 Pinot Noir, 2010 Cabernet Franc, 2009 Syrah and 2009 Zinfandel-Syrah “Sweethearts” blend. Live music and savory nibbles add to the fun.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
20yearlogo
Drum roll, please—Burrell School Vineyards is celebrating our 20th anniversary in the wine business this year. We received our federal bond on October 6th, 1994. And, after 20 years of growing, harvesting, wine making, bottling, tasting, selling and meeting the best people in the world, we’re still having fun.
Mark your calendars for the 20th Anniversary Celebration the weekend of October 4 & 5. We’re planning special 20th anniversary logo glasses for use and sale, chocolate samples by Chocolate Visions, small plates by Chef Desiree, potentially some vineyard tours and, ftastings of specially selected library wines (tasting fee for non-club members). Lve music , too! It will be a weekend no Burrell School Sippers Club Member will want to miss!
AUGUST HISTORY LESSON
After many years of very hands-on bottling, we began using a mobile bottling service. But in 2003 we made a huge leap forward by acquiring our own bottling line. Our Prospero equipment is capable of bottling 3600 bottles per hour, though we generally run it a more sedate pace of 2000 bottles per hour.
Most important to us: we bottle when the wine is ready.
