Garage Wines – A Journey into the Sub-culture of the Vine
7 am is not exactly the crack of dawn, yet with our bodies still on an east coast clock, my wife, Shari, and I struggle with the few hours of sleep in the Oakland, California hills. The late arrival euphoria of the night before, good conversation, and even better wine had us going until the small hours and our internal clocks began thinking of another sunrise. Coffee, some breakfast and a quick overview of how the day might look from our host, Scott (my dear friend of over 25 years and aspiring vintner) and we begin our foray into wine making. Today we will travel up into the storied wine country to retrieve this year’s Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, bring them back to the co-op winery and facilitate their transformation from fruit to fermentation. Though this is not their first harvest, Scott and his wine partner Dan are stepping up their game in a big way today. I have the nagging feeling that despite all their planning and preparation they ...