Thanksgiving

Michel-Schlumberger Crush 2008 is officially over.  The very last tank of fermenting Cabernet was pressed off on Wednesday.  There’s still plenty of work to do (racking and barreling, mostly) but at least the crazy stuff is finished.  And after a couple months of working nearly everyday the cellar and vineyard crews will finally get a very well deserved weekend off.  Big YAY!

HUGE thanks to this year’s harvest interns Kate, Caitlin and Chino.  Crush involves a heck of a lotta long hours of hard, sticky work and these unsung heroes not only made it look easy but reminded me of why I got into this business – for the fun of it.  In my 13 years at Michel-Schlumberger I’ve never worked with a better group.

Thanks to Cellar Master Ramiro for doing everything, all the time, and playing a mean guitar in between.

Thanks to Tom for being the most organized and efficient man alive.  How he can keep track of the Lord knows how many lots of wine we have in the cellar is way beyond me.

Thanks to Javier Jr. for working his magic and keeping the press and crusher running day and night under combat conditions.

Thanks to Brunson for being a ridiculously stress-free Winemaker.  And for managing to put in huge hours, seven days a week, and still power through 3 hours of maniacal drumming every Monday night.

Thanks to Javier Sr. and the Vineyard crew for their incredible hard work under incredibly harsh conditions.  And all of it done with a smile.

Thanks to everyone else at the winery (Administration, Hospitality, Sales and Marketing) for putting up with us when we may have been a bit tired and grumpy.

Most of all — thanks to YOU, the supporters of Michel-Schlumberger.  By drinking our wine and attending events and signing up for our Wine Bench Club you make it possible for us to continue our passion for producing some of the finest environmentally and socially responsible wines in the world.

Thanks!