The Grapes of Wrath
November 4, 2009
Mr. CG here guest posting for the first time. Perhaps the wife hasn’t mentioned this, but we grow grapes in our backyard. Not table grapes. Petite Syrah.
Even though we live in the wine country, it’s pretty rare to have a vineyard in the city limits where we are. But we had a grand idea ten years ago to landscape our back hill with grapes and make ourselves some vino. We finally got around to planting our “hobby” vineyard in 2000.
Growing grapes and making your own wine may sound exciting, but things don’t always turn out the way you planned. These grapes have brought us both elation and wrath.
It took about 4 years for our vines to mature after we planted in 2000. When the fruit ripened in 2004, we were extremely excited about our first crop. The grapes got really purple and fat as they ripened. Then days before the harvest the birds arrived. Starlings ! They tweeted all their friends. Within 24 hours multiple flocks of birds ate all of our grapes. We were crushed. And we were left with no grapes to crush that year.
In 2005, we covered our vines with nets, but that year the grapes were taken by mildew due to early rains. Again, we lost our crop. In 2006, we were so preoccupied with our remodel that we ran out of time to harvest the grapes, and they ended up on the ground. By 2007, we had almost given up on our dreams of making wine.
We made another attempt in 2007 with nets, mildew prevention, and the proper attention. Again our grapes grew juicy and sweet on the vine, and finally they reached the proper sugar concentration. That year, we harvested our first crop. The juice aged in a French oak barrel and before we knew it, the wine was ready for bottling. We were on the verge of making our dream a reality.
Did we actually make the wine ourselves? Sort of. Me and the missus know plenty about drinking wine. But we really don’t know how to ferment and bottle it. However we are fortunate to have a close friend who is one of the top wine growers and wine makers in the area. Dennis De La Montanya runs De La Montanya vineyards. His winemaker won the 2007 Harvest Fair Grand Prize for his Pinot Noir. In our area, that’s like winning the Kentucky Derby. De la Montanya advised us throughout the whole process, helping us with the fermenting and even finding us the proper barrel. And our wine is really really good! Fruity and dry, like a Syrah should be. The 2007 wine even won a Gold Medal in the amateur division at the local Sonoma-Marin fair.
2008 was another great crop for us. That vintage is aging in the barrel right now. CG and I still pinch ourselves every summer watching the grapes grow in our backyard. You should coax her into giving you all some in one of those giveaways because the 2008 is sure to be great. And make her show you the label – she designed it and won an award for that too. I think I’ll keep her.
Unfortunately this year we had more bad luck. With such a cool summer, our crop never reached the proper sugar concentration. More time on the vine wouldn’t have made a difference. Sadly, we lost our crop this year. Despite all our hopes, this morning we learned the truth that the harvest was no good. That’s agriculture for you. We are subject to the elements just like all farmers.
So these will be trimmed and left on the ground for the birds, or until they return to the soil.
Tragic but true. The grapes are worthless this year.
Looks aren’t everything.
It’s what’s inside that counts.
Even the lowly fly had a laugh when he landed on my cheek to chide me.
Well at least one critter is pleased with this year’s crop.
As they say, there’s always next year.
Signing off to go drink a beer and listen to hard luck country songs,
- Mr. CG
Tags: vineyard
Starlings! Guh! The bane of my existence. I only have a small arbor with table grapes but the starlings just about wipe me out every year. This year the yellow jackets filled the arbor and I couldn’t go near it to get a single grape – first year that’s ever happened. Yes, grape growing is no easy thing!
Congratulations on the awards! Hopefully you’ll have a chance to win some more.
How exciting must that be to grow your owe grapes! Drinking your owe wine must make it even better :]
Dear Mr. CG,
Thank you for such an infomative and interesting guest blog! It was fascinating and I learned something! I’m sorry to hear about this year’s crop, but I will send good wishes your way for the next round. I’m still amazed at how you’re able to work, grow grapes and just deal with every day life tasks yet still find time to write on your wife’s blog. I think Mrs. CG will keep you as well. Please continue to make guest appearances on how the vineyard is doing. I’d love to buy a bottle one of these days….us people down here in the OC of So. Ca. only have a handful of decent wineries!
How fun! I can just see Mrs. CG staring in her own episode of I Love Lucy. How did you squish the grapes anyway?
Very interesting and very very cool! How many bottles are you able to produce with your crop? And how many plants/ vines do you have. We’re in Florida and have a small grove with various citrus, so I understand that looks aren’t always everything. Bummer. Question: Was it too cool just for your variety of grapes or for most all of the vinyards in your area? How do vinyards deal with bum crops every now and again? Make due with former crops? I’m just so interested in your story. thank you for posting.
Wow nice post Mr. CG- I learned a lot and enjoyed the humor!
Fun post, Mr. CG. I learned something already this morning — had no idea all the in’s and out’s of grape growing for wine. I’m glad some people know it though because I love to drink the stuff!
)
thanks for sharing! my mouth is watering thinking of a “fruity & dry” syrah… it’s only 8:00 am here, so i probably shouldn’t start drinking yet. not till the kids go down for naps anyway. : )
it has been a hard year all over for farmers- some areas with too much rain, others with drought… cool temps hit the tomatoes hard around here. we take part in a CSA and have had the opportunity to rejoice & suffer along with the farmers…
you should blog more often! and should definitely keep your wife- she’s inspiring! i want to see that label…
happy wednesday,
rachel
Thanks for guest posting, Mr. CG! What an informative post! Sorry to hear about this year’s crop, but I hope next year you have better luck! In the meantime, beer is not so bad
Can you can the juice for grape juice? Or make grape jam or preserves? It might be worth a try….and if I lived close I’d come grab some and try it myself….but I am 2 states over.
I now know I do NOT have the patience for grapes. Not that I am in a climate for growing them, but if I were thinking of moving to grow wine grapes, that dream is shattered.
Loved the post!
Even if the sugar concentration in the grapes themselves isn’t high enough, it doesn’t mean they’re a loss. You could pick them and try making some jelly out of them! My parents own a vineyard/winery in Minnesota and my mom makes jelly out of some of the grapes each year, it’s always fabulous!
Hey Mr. CG! I have never grown grapes myself but I too know how hard grape growing can be. Your grapes really did look beautiful this year and it’s such a shame they didn’t make it. Thank you for sharing this part of your life. Your house and land is beautiful and your wife is awesome. Truly. Her blog makes my day! Better luck next year!!!!!
CG, can’t wait to see that beautiful label (if you decide to share).
Shea
Oh my goodness, is there anything you guys can’t do? That stinks that some years you don’t get to enjoy the fruits of your labor (sorry for the bad pun), but what a dream to have your own vineyard!! (P.S. Kate, thank you for your lovely comments on my blog today!)
Glad to hear from Mr. CG! So sorry about your crop this year, it’s hard to believe that such beautiful grapes would be lacking in proper sweetness! I think the wine giveaway is a fabulous idea, can you pitch that one for us loyal CG readers?
I’m just impressed that you have vineyard! wow. It’s beautiful. Sorry bout the bad luck.
Congrats on your inaugural post, Mr. CG. I can’t believe Kate trusted you with her blog.
Lord knows what my hubby would write about if I gave him the chance…was this censored at all? 
I had no idea starting your own vineyard was so complicated. I just assumed you grow some grapes, stomp on ‘em (ala Lucy and Ethel) and pour it into a pretty bottle to enjoy later. I loved reading about how the process works. Thanks for sharing!
Mr. CG, you are a splendid blog writer!!!
Well, well, well…
How very interesting…what a great sly wit you have Mr. CG. Hopefully, you will again capture an award. A congratulations to you both. That’s very cool. You guys seem like such a fun pair. I love reading the blog, it is very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
Well, MR. C.G ~ Look who made it into the blog-o-sphere! That was some fine story-telling, indeed. In fact, forget the grapes! I think there might actually BE A COUNTRY SONG in that sad old story about sugar, and rain, and mildew and …. birds. You are a FARMER and a true AGGIE! So impressive! Even the fly joined in for the pity party… Sheesh!
You’re HILARIOUS, just like the lil’ Mrs.!
The fine folks of Rancho Durenberger send their love and ask you this question, how ’bout some horse manure for next years crop! We have a bumper crop and are willing to share! xoxoxo
I find it almost comical that you two do all of this other stuff around the house … oh, AND you also make wine – award-winning, pretty-labeled wine. Thanks for sharing your more behind-the-(blog) scenes hobby!
This was an interesting write and I’m really sorry about this year’s crop. They make for beautiful pictures, but I’m sure that doesn’t make you feel any better.
Some of the grapes were beautiful. I don’t drink wine but I love the wine country. Sonoma is my favorite place too. They look great on the vine but maybe next year it will work out for yall.
Some of the grapes were beautiful. I don’t drink wine but I love the wine country. Sonoma is my favorite place too. Sorry that it didn’t work out this year but maybe next year it will all come together for you.
We feel your pain! At least my husband feels it. We live in Colorado where he attempted to grow high altitude grapes on our five acres at 7500 ft. elevation. It’s a hobby for him and unfortunately after our fourth year he salvaged only a quart of juice from a marechel fosch grape. Yes, he was detirmined to use his pickin’s. The sugar was low so he created a blend with a syrah grape which he purchased from a Colorado grape grower. The wine has since been bottled and has turned out quite nice. Another white grape he picked had such low sugar that he added table sugar to it, (after researching thoroughly) which raised the alcohol but didn’t affect the flavor of the grape. It’s now one of our favorites.
We would love to share a bottle of our wine with you, please let us know if you’re interested.
[...] there is the major crop, the petite syrah grapes that we planted ten years ago (and wrote about here) and they have just started to harvest in the last couple of years. Thankfully we have help [...]
Love that Mr. CG wrote a post! Can’t believe I missed it. And yes, I want some of your wine and I want to see this award-winning label of yours girly! Do share
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