Bucket of bungs.

New French oak barrels come with rough hewn oak bungs, held securely in the bung hole with a disc of cotton or hessian, which are generally discarded (in favour of silicone bungs for barrel aging).  I salvaged a bucketful of these bungs that were being thrown away at TWWIAGE.  Why, you might ask?  Because they make great kindling, that's why.  There is no better wood to start a fire with, on a cold winter's night, than wood from 200 - 300 year old trees that has been air-dried for up to 48 months.  It's my own version of toasting oak.
Most of the trees that are felled for the production of French oak barrels (predominantly Quercus sessiliflora and Quercus petraea) come from a handful of forests (e.g., Allier, Limousin and Tronçais) that were planted during Napoleonic times for shipbuilding.  Call me old fashioned, but I always feel warm and toasty when I think that some of the wood intended for the French navy meets its Waterloo in my hearth.  Ouch!
And happy St. Trifon's Day everyone!

Happy birthday Tigger!

Today happens to be my English-family's pony's birthday.  Tigger is a lovely, mellow old soul and is well into his twenties.  So happy birthday Tigmeister.
It also happens to be Chinese New Year (well, I'm a day late), so gung hey fat choi!  Incidentally, it happens to be the year of the horse, so Tiggs is doing double duty.  (Yea, so OK, pony, horse - let's not split hairs here.)  Fittingly, I read in yesterday's paper that China is now the world's largest red wine consuming nation - ahead of France and Italy - according to a survey done by Vinexpo, the international wine and spirits exhibition organisation.  The Chinese were responsible for downing 1.865 billion bottles of wine in 2013.  Part of red wine's allure for the Chinese is said to be it's actual colour, as red has great symbolic importance within the Chinese culture.  I'm thinking they may just like the way it tastes too.
It also happens to be St. Trifon's Day, so glad tidings to all grape-pruners out there...which reminds me that I need to get started pruning soon.
So happy, happy, happy day!

Happy St. Trifon's Day: 2013.

Today, I did a bit of spring cleaning, well, sort of.  It's almost time to start pruning Vinoland, but first I had to perform some maintenance on my pruning shears. A sharpening stone, some wire wool, oil and plenty of elbow grease quickly brought my trusty secateurs back to their former glory.  With some tender loving care, my Swiss-made Felcos should last me for the rest of my life.
I love pruning and I think I do an fairly decent job, but my skills are relatively limited.  I am no where near the skill level of someone who prunes for a living.  So it goes without saying that I won't be entering the 12th Annual Napa Valley Pruning Contest, which is being held next week.  But, may St. Trifon cast his beneficence over the secateur-wielding contestants who do enter.

Happy St. Trifon's Day: 2011.

Once again, it is time for the denizens of Vinoland to wish you all, pruners and non-pruners alike, a very happy St. Trifon's Day. May the patron saint of pruners bless us all with a bountiful 2011 harvest.
Now, get pruning!

Happy St. Trifon's Day!

Who? You know, St. Trifon.
It seems some old Bulgerian fellow is the patron saint of pruners. It's a little early for pruning to begin in Vinoland, but not wanting to upset the Gods I did a quick ceremonial cut...assisted by V2, the marvelous mammilian mulcher. Some Bulgarian's like to repeat this feast day on the 14th of February which is closer to the actual date I am likely to venture out into the vineyard with my trusty Felcos in hand.
Balkan folklore, eh? Gotta love it.