Harvest time at Tyler Ridge; winemaking begins

Kathy and Mike Dennis, with Maggie.

Mike Dennis (left) and I discuss the harvest over the Chambourcin grapes I purchased and the Dennis' St. Bernard Maggie.

It's the second year of buying grapes from Tyler Ridge Vineyard Winery. Having bottled last year's wine from Tyler Ridge grapes only last month, we're tasting the possibilities of what this year's vintage might become. 

I realize many of these pictures below look the same as previous years' harvest photos. But it's always a hopeful time of anticipating the results of what's being created in the moment — so here they are.

Back home, the clusters go into the destemmer-crusher, and crushed grapes emerge.

Checking for spiders.

One thing is new: Mike Dennis urged me to add sulfite to the must and wait 24 hours before beginning primary fermentation. This step apparently kills volunteer yeast and prepares the must for the preferred yeast.This technique is new to me, but I tried it, and we'll see what happens …