Friar Dawson blesses the JUSTIN 2010 Tempranillo
We are pleased and excited to announce the first day of Harvest at JUSTIN! We kicked off Harvest by picking our Sauvignon Blanc on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, and we brought in our Tempranillo the following day.
As a result of one of the coolest summers in Paso Robles history, our Harvest this year has been pushed back about 10-18 days. We usually start to harvest our grapes at the end of August, but this year we did not get started until we were more than one full week into September. If this sluggish trend continues, we could be harvesting all the way into November – “Things are moving very slowly,” said Estate Vineyard Manager Paul Kaselionis.
The JUSTIN team gathers around the grapes
Despite the late start this year, we introduced a new tradition – new to us, that is. The Blessing of the Harvest is a custom dating back to classical Greek, Roman, Hebrew, and Christian times, when the first fruits of harvest were offered to the temple or church. The ritual has evolved and changed over time, and at JUSTIN we adopted our own version.
Friar Wayne Dawson, from St. Rose of Lima Church in Paso Robles, California, was kind enough to come to the winery on a moment’s notice (as Harvest comes suddenly and has a short window of opportunity, even in slow seasons!) to bless our Tempranillo, the JUSTIN staff, and the forthcoming Harvest season. He spoke about the excitement and camaraderie of Harvest and prayed for a fruitful season for JUSTIN.
During the ceremony, Friar Dawson sprinkled the Tempranillo and the JUSTIN team with Holy water. “If you get a big splash, it might be because you need it!” he joked. We aren’t sure about the JUSTIN team, but we know for sure that our grapes can use all the blessings they can get – so say a little prayer for the JUSTIN Harvest!
Friar Dawson sprinkles the team, including Justin Baldwin (in the stripes!) with Holy Water
Recent Comments