Calkins Lane Confidential

Some of you may have noticed that I've been away for a few weeks. Between studying for an upcoming Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists certification exam, fighting off the latest cold to go around, and an intense Deadwood binge, I've been neglecting the blog a bit. But I'm back in a blogging way, and thought I'd share with you all a look at my cousin's winery. The extended family came in from all corners of the country last weekend for Grandma's 95th birthday, and on the day before the big event, a bunch of us headed out to said winery. I, naturally, took my camera along and got some photos of the place.

Here's a shot of the vines, under a textbook Oregon January sky:


An interesting detail in the stairwell leading down to where the action happens:


This is the red fermentation room, where the red wines ferment (yes, I did figure that out all by myself, as a matter of fact):


And here's the "tank room," where the whites ferment:


Here we see barrels of wine aging in one of four temperature and humidity controlled "caves" (which are actually pre-fab culverts manufactured by a company in Tualatin):


And finally, a shot of uncle Flip, who makes his dime with an east coast janitorial supply company, extolling the virtues of a particularly magnificent specimen: