We had a busy spring!
In amidst our rebranding to The Purple Habit, hiring a designer for our new lables, finding a local printing firm, chasing down a new supplier for bottles, and managing numerous personal and professional COVID-19 challenges, we managed to bottle -- what I think you will agree -- is an outstanding expression of the Syrah varietal. Presenting . . . . our 2018 vintage!
Rebranding Complete! A QR code now takes interested club members to a more detailed write-up on the vintage.
Bottling Day
On May 9th, we bottled the 2018 vintage. In spite of all the equipment and people moving around, the process is well-practiced, and we moved through several tanks of wine over the balance of the day. Had it not been for COVID-19, and a lack of volunteers (I like to think our kids volunteered 😏), we would have had club members on each of the stations pictured below.
Ready to go - tanks, pumps, bottles and other equipment, prior to starting.
The bottle filler accommodates 4 bottles at once and automatically fills each to a predetermined level.
Our two kids, Ben and Grace manning the bottle corker. The corker works on a two step principal. The operator pulls the lever down to compress the cork so that it can fit inside the neck of the bottle. A final short push of the lever quickly inserts the compressed cork into the bottle where it expands and seals. After processing several hundred bottles, anyone over 40 is pretty much guaranteed some shoulder agony. These two didn't notice a thing. Corking is wasted on the youth!
Corked bottles awaiting application of tin capsules for the neck of the bottles. In a world full of plastic, we still invest in tin for our vintages.
Anita operating the capsule spinner, a device that literally molds the tin capsule to the top of the bottle. Another shoulder killer!
We've been making wine together for almost 20 years 💜
Once the bottles are filled, corked, and capsuled, the new lables are applied.
The Purple Habit 2018 Syrah ready for boxing.
After clean-up, all equipment is stored in the garage until dry and ready for stowing. Who recognises the new stylistic element included on our lables?
We had waited hopefully for some positive change in the COVID situation and the border, but I think it is for naught. On a typical year, it's a enough of a challenge buying fruit in the States. Unfortunately, we won't be going south for 2021.
However, I think there is a reasonable chance of finding quality Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc locally in the Okanagan. We've had good experiences with both varietals in the past, and each was well received by the club. When I find a supplier, I will finalise the pricing. Because white wines generally aren't processed or aged in oak barrels, the cost will be lower than our reds, most like around $325 a share (18 bottles).
Please let me know if you are interested. We likely won't make as much as past red vintages.
We hope you are enjoying your summer!
Warm regards,
Darin, Anita, Grace and Benjamin
