The thing about wine for me that is very important is that each wine has a story and behind every wine label an interesting person. Wine has the power to talk in ways that no words can speak, being the winery, or the conversation the bottle might stir up. This interview with my grandfather tells a long lost story about my ancestors, and confirms that a connection with your roots is never to far away.
How did you start making wine?
-As a child I would watch my father make wine for the family and I was always very curious.
As soon as I could I would help him crush the grapes by hand but it wasn’t until the age of 14 I got to make my own batch of wine.
What would be your favorite winemaking childhood memory?
-I really liked picking the Concord grapes my father Carmine Russo grew in the yard. The amount of grapes we grew could fill up two barrels of wine a year.
We would also go down to the grape yard where they would train in containers of grapes from California, and my parents would shop around tasting every bucket of Zinfandel they passed to find the ones with the right amount of sweetness. Sometimes they would instead of tasting just squeeze the grape in between their fingers and let the juice dry. Once it dried if their fingers stuck together they knew it was the perfect sweetness for the wine.
Back in those days you could get a 32 pound bucket of grapes for $1.50
What are some obstacles you have encountered in your 75 years of winemaking?
-I used to use old whisky barrels to age my wine in. When I would get them there was always 2 or 3 quarts of whisky left at the bottom so we would drink that, our tough luck, then we would take dried peach leaves and fill the barrels and light the leaves on fire toasting the inside of the barrel. This would prep the barrel and get rid of the whisky taste.
What is some advice you would give to a winemaker starting out?
-Sterilize everything.
Do you feel your winemaking skills have evolved over the years? Has your wine gotten better?
-It all depends on the grapes.
Gotta love Red! I especially like the answer he had to the question about experience. A lot of people would have taken that opportunity to go on and on and on about how great they have become. It is funny that he said it is all about the grapes. Most cooks will tell you too, the freshness and ripeness of the ingredients are what matter the most! Loved the interview! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Amanda and Uncle Red! We sure have enjoyed his wine over the years. Love his brandy wine too, but look out for the kick!
ReplyDeletexox
Auntie Jackie