Vintage is THE most stressful time on the vineyard. On any vineyard. It all depends on, when the grapes are ready the weather, when the winery can take them, when you can get a harvester, the trucks, the bins...... There have been the expected few who "lose it". I wonder if that is what was said about Dad this morning? If it was there are enough to say it's the other guys being complete idiots. I of course take the latter view. We started harvesting Shiraz at our place, then moved to one of the other vineyards. We had filled just about all the trucks, just a few bins to go when the harvester operator decided he had done enough and was going home. Even though the job wasn't finished. It is always hard to determine exactly how long it will take, but the end was in sight, only another hour to go. Incredible. Needless to say Dad got very upset and the operator decided to stay for the extra hour. The amazing thing in my mind is that the guy who owns the harvester (and can operate it, but not the operator wanting to walk off the job) has his own vineyard and has experienced the same problems of things taking far longer than expected. But instead of finishing the job he sat at home with his family because it is a Saturday morning. ITS HARVEST!!!! We all go without for these 6 or so weeks. The fact that he has his own vineyard and knows the issues AND the fact that he is local and has a lot of interaction with Dad about promoting the regions wines.... I still find it incredible.

We are not even half way through harvesting our grapes (volume wise) so Dad rang up a guy who lives a few hundred kms away and he is going to finish the job. Obviously the first guy has earnt as much as he needs to this year, it's about $30K he is trowing away.

OK just had to get that off my chest. Back to caring for my wines!