Fall is my favorite time of year, with harvest it is also the busiest time of the year. Waiting until the grapes are at just the right composition takes patience. Once the grapes are ready and picked (at the break of dawn) when the weather is cool, the crush begins. We sort, destem and crush the grapes and then allow the skins to sit in the juice and let the magic happen. 
Well, we guide the magic a little bit. This is when the color and complexity from the skins influences the juice. Once the macerating skins begin to taste bitter we press off the skins so we keep the tannin level low. 
This is the messiest part of the whole process, our hands may stay wine-colored for several days. The newly pressed juice is now stored in neutral oak barrels and continue to ferment. Red wine will stay in the barrels for at least 18 months or until the metamorphic process is complete and the wine has changed into something beautiful. 