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pairs perfectly with a warm cup of coffee, a cold beer or a delicious glass of wine

harvest has begun!

Mar 20, 2014 | , ,

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this, my friends, is my oh-so-sleepy-yet-so-excited-i-could-almost-burst face [complete with bed head!]. it was taken in the 7oclock hour with the sun coming up over the mountains and working it’s way down to shine on the sea in the estuary. it was a perfect morning! a perfect morning to get started on makin some wine…
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this all took place yesterday: i had my morning cup of coffee, got caffeinated, did a happy dance and hopped out of bed. it was the first day of harvest! i felt like i had been waiting for this day since October, when i first fell in love with the vineyard. i danced a little more as i pulled on those gum boots and boisterously greeted the other sleepy eyed workers. this was no time to be sleepy!
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i’d like to believe my excitement is infectious and since there is no time to wait for a reply if that was turned into a question, how about i give you a quick run down on how things went. oh, but one thing to note is that photos are a little sparse for parts of the day because when you work with and in grape juice, you get sticky. like, really really sticky. by the end of the day i was dripping with grape juice and stickier than i thought possible. anyways, let’s get started.

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first, the morning crew went to the vines to raise the nets that have been covering the grapes for a little over a month. the nets protect the fruit from the copious amounts of hungry birds that will literally eat an entire vineyard if given the opportunity.

after the nets were lifted, the larger picking crew got a run down on how to pick. basically we are clearing the vines of all their grapes and as we do that we need to check it to make sure the grapes are perfect. no disease. no unripe grapes. just yummy, plump purple grapes get snipped and tossed in the bins. yesterday we harvested Pinot Noir grapes for the incredibly tasty single release Rosé. this wine didn’t used to be one of my favorites, but it’s quickly working it’s way that direction. it’s a delicious pink wine that is best either for dessert or as a breakfast wine with strawberries or even french toast. mmmmm.

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anyways, once we had picked enough grapes to make this gem of a wine, the grapes [that were filling ALL those yellow bins in the background of the above photo ] were put into the de-stemmer to be, well, de-stemmed.

   

 

this here is the fancy de-stemmer machine. it really is pretty slick! the grapes go in the top, there are paddles inside that cage looking thing that gently flick the grapes off the stems, the grapes come out the shoot on the right and the stems get shot out a shoot on the left. voila!

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then what happens after the grapes come out the other side? well, for the rosé, they need to be pressed. and how do the grapes get pressed? well here, because the focus is on small batches that are made with love, they get pressed by foot. you won’t see the big guys doing this …

   

 

yep, that happened.

and now i have been dubbed the official grape smasher for the rest of harvest which is a title i will not let anyone take away. this job is WAY too fun!

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after smashing then it’s clean up …

   

 

and then after clean up, it’s wine time.
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clearly it was a rough day at the office. can’t wait to go back to it on Monday!!! happy [almost] weekend, everyone. hope your Thursday is as spectacular as mine was!

the wine world is a good world

Mar 19, 2014 | ,

Are you there world?
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It’s me, Jessica.
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As I sit here looking at my blank computer screen I [more-or-less] have no idea what to write. Which has been my problem for the last nearly 4 months. That as well as limited time and limited internet. I recently spent a week traveling around the South Island with my LOVELY aunt and uncle and when I off handedly mentioned I fell off the blog bandwagon, they boisterously said “people have noticed!” Now, it’s very possible that the plural in that statement only refers to 2 individuals, since really, you only need more than 1 person to make ‘people.’ And that those 2 individuals may include my aunt and uncle. But regardless of the count, or who it was, this post is for people who have noticed my absence.
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My blank computer screen and I are sitting up at the cellar door of the winery I work at. As people drift in and out, tasting and buying the deliciousness that we offer, I am also being treated to samples of the wine. I love my job.
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It is sunny, the sea is off in the distance and the wind is rustling the vines. Today is not just a good day, it is a fantastic day. The longer I’m here, the more I fall in love with this country and everything in it. Almost any direction I turn [or drive!] the scenery is amazing, the people are kind and the temperature never seems to get to a Minnesotans standard of cold.
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This of course includes what is right beside me.
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I mentioned a while back that I had landed a job at a winery. I have stuck around and loved every minute of seeing these vines transform over the last several months.
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Hmm – side tangent: Time has passed very oddly here in New Zealand. I think my little personal clock has become pretty tuned to Minnesota seasons after 28 years, so it’s been rocked to it’s core to not experience winter. [Side tangent #2: i’ve been told it was an AMAZING winter to have missed! Can’t say i’m bummed … ] But it doesn’t feel like … March? Yep, it’s already March. And it certainly hasn’t felt like the previous months either. So when I think back to my time here, it feels as though it’s gone by in a blink, but not in the usual blink. I’ve done amazing things and met some amazing people, but there are no meteorological markers like I seem to get back in Minnesota. No heat wave that knocks you over when you step outside. No snow to speak for miles. The weather in Nelson, New Zealand is ‘fine’ 99% of the time.
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The point of me noting this is that I have been even more blown away to see these little grapes transform over the year because it literally feels like yesterday that they were this size …
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And then this size …
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And today they are huge, purple and nearly ready to harvest. I can’t wait.
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While I’ve learned heaps about the vines, the process of growing grapes and what a season on a vineyard involves, I can’t say that my wine tasting pallet has improved all that much. Sure, I now smell wine before I gulp it, but that is more or less for show. However, having said that, I have also found an appreciation [and source!] for the good stuff! … I may have to look into upgrading my usual case purchases of Charles Shaw when I return to the states.
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Tomorrow we are starting our harvest. We got rocked and battered by the tropical storm that rolled through on Sunday, but it should still be a pretty swell season! I’m excited to embark on a new job that will teach me even more AND give me heaps more photographic opportunities. I’ve already got the classic NZ outfit ready to go – gum boots, tall socks and short shorts. Photos to come as I’m sure I will not only fit in but feel a bit goofy. Until then, here are a few goodies from my time here at Rimu Grove!
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Much more at some juncture down the road, I’m sure. I have been asked to provide the photos for their super fancy and super amazing new website, so I’m being a bit selective what i share at the moment. I can’t wait until that’s all said and done as well! It will be pretty rewarding to see my work on there.
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Since my daily life seems to be one big adventure, I had a really hard time wrapping my head around how I post updates on what I’ve been up to. As I said last time, it feels so mundane yet so exciting all at the same time. There have been little big milestones like living in a tiny cabin with a view of mountains and the sea and then moving into an AMAZING handcrafted house truck, perched above the estuary right in the middle of the vineyard.
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I worked 2 jobs + attempted to have a life until I wore myself so thin I had to give something up. [That ended up being the job at the bar in favor of spending more time with wine. In buckets.]
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I got to spend almost an ENTIRE month traveling around and sharing this country with my dad.
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Then another week of doing the same with my aunt and uncle.
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I borrowed a sewing machine, bought some fabric and whipped up some fabric napkins for the truck. I spent my birthday weekend drinking delicious wine while soaking in my new swimming pool, finally getting my hair cut [THAT was a long time coming!], kayaking, eating great food, celebrating with lovely friends, drinking a MN beer [!!!!] and relaxing like crazy.
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I did a MAJOR trip around the South Island stopping at some of the most amazing places. It took 2 weeks, I got to spend it with a great friend who really knows the gems of the S Island, Gladys survived, I didn’t have to drive and I came back to Nelson feeling thankful that I landed here! The entire country is incredible but there is something about here … It’s extra special.
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But more on the various trips I’ve done later … I want to let everyone’s photo eyes refresh for some of the amazing sights i’ve seen.
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Until then, all my best! 🙂

 

smiling is my favorite exercise

Nov 27, 2013 | , , , ,

Goodness sakes. When I set out on this 7+ month adventure I wondered how fast it would go by. Time flies when I’m at home — weeks swell into months and amazingly, expand into years. But having never been away from home quite this long with just a backpack, I was curious if the same would happen here.

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The answer?

Yes. It does. 2 months have sailed along in a blink.

I have filled every day with ‘things’ and it has been fantastic! I worked real hard my first month at reading, refreshing my heart, seeing sights, gardening and being an all around good woofer. The second month I’ve worked real hard at learning new jobs, building new friendships, photographing animals, breathing in life, drinking coffee and keeping calm as it all swirls around me.

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not too many noteworthy things have happened of late which is part of the reason i haven’t been writing… but i guess when i think about it, every day is noteworthy because i’m living out some of my dreams on a big adventure in another country. when i sat down to write this morning, i didn’t know where i would take this post. i think i had figured i might do something quick and just smash in a bunch of photos and carry on with my day. however, as i pieced this together i started thinking it could be fun for some out there if i was to pepper those photos with a list of what i’ve been up to.  so after several hours of sorting out which photos to share,  wracking my brain to succinctly talk about the last month and battling with this stupid program to format it to my liking, i present to you, my life.
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The last time I wrote I had recently landed in Motueka. I ended up staying there in the same place for 5 weeks. It was at an incredibly lovely b&b with lush gardens. The women who own it were fantastic, organized, excellent cooks, colorful, spunky and incredibly clean. I house sat, shoveled compost, took photos of their pup, took photos of the neighbors kitty, cooked, gathered chicken eggs, chopped wood, scrubbed the roof and painted a step. It was bitter sweet to leave — i wanted a new adventure but they were such lovely people!!
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before officially moving out of their home, i traveled for a week. i started out with an overnight trip into Abel Tasman National Park. the park system here is incredible and my one day made me want to do a bazillion more!
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after that i went to Nelson again to meet up with a few friends before heading to Kaikoura. Kaikoura was one of those places i knew i had to go even before coming here simply because my amazing neighbor at home couldn’t stop talking about it 🙂 it is her happy place and i figured if it’s good enough for her, i need to see it.  … let’s just say, it didn’t disappoint.

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once i returned from my travels i started work at the brewery. having no idea what i’d actually be doing, i was thrown into the deep end on their 5th anniversary party where they had a band, the largest pot of chili i’ve EVER seen and a bazillion people. and as i met the locals throughout the day and said “nope – haven’t been here long. actually today is my first day!” i felt some replied with looks of surprise since i wasn’t cowering in a corner hiding from the chaos.
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on day 1 at the bar i ended up talking to just the right people to also land a job at a vineyard. i now spend most of my week days out in the vines encouraging these hardy plants to grow amazing grapes. i also spend my time in the vines chatting with some pretty colorful people, rocking out to my latest spunky music choice, working on my tan and building some wicked biceps. whenever i get to work i am taken by the amazing views from the road — the mountains, the water, the vines — and i think to myself, “hell yeah – this is what i was looking for.”

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lastly, i’ve settled into a tiny little cabin that is perched on the bluffs just outside Tasman. it’s quaint, cozy and surrounded by beauty. There are 2 cats, more chickens than I seem to be able to count, 2 piglets arriving tomorrow and all i can hear are the deafening bird sounds.

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i plan to be here until the New Year when i will again have to figure out where i’m going. but as with this entire trip, i am trusting that something will work out. so far i am pleased to say that the worst thing to happen to me was getting an [insanely stupid!!!!] $200 parking ticket. pleasantly enough, through writing a letter to explain my point of view [and ultimately pointing out how stupid the ticket was], i managed to get it reversed. so really, nothing noteworthy has gone wrong. though even if it does, i am confident i could take it in stride. i’m at a point in my life where not too much knocks me off my feet and so long as i’m determined to get through it, i will get through it. and maybe even with a smile on my face!
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this seems like a great spot to wrap things up. i’ve got a hankering for some lunch and you are now caught up on my goings on.
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wishing everyone BIG hugs especially with Thanksgiving around the corner. i have yet to see any turkey here so it looks like i’m sitting this year out. so please, indulge just a little bit more on my behalf.
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cheers!

the beach

Oct 12, 2013 |

i have always wondered if i was one of those people that could live at a beach …
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i think i am coming to the conclusion that yes, i could.

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more beach time tomorrow … in fact, i’m pretty excited to finally have a break from the rain to take the car out for a spin, go to Mot’s Sunday Market, explore some little hideaways and then maybe wrap up my afternoon by feeding some eels. Apparently they are tame.

cheers! 🙂