Wet, sticky, and happy
A version of this column was published was published 10/6/21 in The Observer and The Review & Express.
I love fall. Some people thrive on the hot and humid days of summer because: sun. But for me, it’s all about the chill in the air as temperatures dip into the 50s. All my favorite sweaters and I have been conspiring towards this weather; where my love of hot coffee no longer comes with confusion, and my desire to cook only comfort foods seems to make more logical sense.
Things start to settle into a cozier pace. One that feels a bit more sustainable and gives way for recharging. Back-to-school season brings a return to familiar routines. And somehow golden hour seems even more golden–perhaps because we remember to stop and savor the last sunsets before winter takes hold.
There’s a new energy in the air as is often the case with seasonal changes. I love fall because it feels hopeful. And in the Finger Lakes, with harvest fast underway that energy is tenfold.
Signs for mums, pumpkins and grape pies line the roads. The industry is bustling. Wineries are full of customers while employees are bottling new offerings in the back to make room for the next vintage. As the rest of the world starts to slow down, wine country feels like everything is in motion.
Occasionally, you’ll see signs wishing the harvest workers godspeed and good luck. Unlike the previous year, 2021 has brought challenges thanks to rainfall and humidity giving way to rot and disease. But somehow, most seem calm as the eye of the storm approaches. Vineyard managers have done their best to combat the weather, and winemakers are prepared to stay open-minded as this vintage puts their skill to the test. “We’ll make the best of it,” they say–and they always do.
This year, many wineries will produce rosés and sparkling wines with their red grapes; a perfect use for the underripe fruit coming in after a growing season that lacked hot, dry days. Some will use the opportunity to experiment and try something new. But all will be making lemonade out of lemons.
My husband and I have been lucky to support some harvest efforts around the lakes this year. Andy has taken a job as a cellar hand for a winery on the eastside of Seneca Lake. When asked how his days are, he usually answers “wet” or “sticky”, before going into the details of what now occupies his time.
He tells me stories about crawling inside tanks to scrub them clean. Or the multitude of boxes that need to be assembled, and the labels that will soon need to go on bottles. Or the hours of hand sorting to ensure only the most perfect fruit makes it into the press, and eventually into your glass. The work sounds physically demanding, and yet he’s never been happier.
You see, Andy is the kind of person that can jump head first into anything, regardless of how scared he might be. I, on the other hand, am the opposite. And as someone who is deeply afraid of bugs and most animals smaller than our pugapoo, Edna, harvest was a bit more of a challenge for me.
Somehow I found the courage to spend a day pulling spiders and rot from clusters of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier with the team at Damiani Wine Cellars. The fruit will go into their 2021 sparkling offerings. Throughout the day, the winemaking and vineyard teams stayed in constant motion. If they weren’t sorting, they were cleaning, sampling, pressing, and discussing what comes next.
After loading my first press (and discovering new muscles in my back), we sampled a bit of free run juice. As I peppered the winemaker, Katey, with questions about the final product, she kindly reminded me wine requires more than just confidence in a direction. It requires humility to know when to zig or zag, an unwavering faith in trusting the journey to get you to the finish line.
That afternoon on my drive home, I took in the beautiful sights of early autumn in the Finger Lakes as golden hour crept closer. When I walked in the door, Andy asked me how my day was & received a familiar answer: I was wet and sticky, and also happy. And eager to see where this year’s vintage takes us.
Maiah Johnson Dunn is a writer based in the Finger Lakes region. You can read more of her work at maiah.com.