Fairfax County Task Force Returns From Hurricane — “Today we warmly welcomed back VA-TF1 from their remarkable service to the victims of Ian. As always, the brave women, men and K9s of @VATF1 came through when the call to help arrived. They stand ready for the nation and the residents of Fairfax County.” [Jeff McKay/Twitter]
U.S. Opposes FCPS in Sexual Assault Case — “A recent filing in the U.S. Supreme Court supports a former Oakton High School student’s Title IX lawsuit against Fairfax County Public Schools over claims the student was threatened with discipline if she reported she was raped on a school outing.” [Patch]
Reston Golf Course Owners Say Underlying Zoning Would Allow Redevelopment — “The owners of Reston National Golf Course are not happy with Supervisor Walter Alcorn’s recent announcement that he would not support redevelopment of their property…[Weller Development partner] Siegel said the owners would be pursing redevelopment based on their legacy zoning rights.” [Patch]
Watch Out for Deer This Fall — “With fall deer breeding season now underway, police in Fairfax County, Virginia, are giving drivers tips on how to safely navigate the roads. Police say there are hundreds of reported accidents involving deer in Fairfax County. More than half of those happen during October, November and December.” [WTOP]
Falls Church to Vote Today on Movie Theater — “City lawmakers are set to vote Tuesday on a deal that could grant as much as half a million dollars every year for the next three decades to the developer behind the Founders Row project. The pay-as-you-go arrangement would essentially reinvest tax revenue generated by the sale of movie tickets and concessions as a way to offset the cost and economic risk of bringing in the theater.” [The Washington Post]
Vienna Elevator Replacements Delayed — “Due to supply chain issues, the Town Hall elevator replacement schedule has been delayed. As a result, Town Council and other public bodies will continue to meet at Town Hall as scheduled until further notice.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Route 7 Bus Study Turns to Falls Church — “The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) has scheduled a community discussion [Tuesday] to look at the planned Route 7 BRT system.” While the route will begin in Tysons, tonight’s discussion “will mostly focus on the Falls Church section.” [ALXnow]
GMU Reports Increased Student Enrollment — “Bucking a statewide trend of declining college enrollment, George Mason University has welcomed its largest student body in school history for the fall 2022 semester, with a freshman class that set a new record for both diversity and academic accomplishment.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 70 and low of 48. Sunrise at 7:15 am and sunset at 6:37 pm. [Weather.gov]
The Fairfax County School Board reaffirmed its support for transgender students last week as community members spoke out against policies proposed by the state that would limit their rights.
At a meeting on Thursday (Oct. 6), members issued a statement reiterating Fairfax County Public School’s commitment to policies that “will continue supporting our transgender and gender-expansive students, staff, and families”:
The Fairfax County School Board understands that our LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and families are worried about the impact of Governor Youngkin’s proposed model policies for transgender and gender-expansive students. Nearly one in five transgender and non-binary youth attempted suicide in the last year. LGBTQIA+ youth who found their school to be affirming reported lower rates of attempting suicide. It is necessary to ensure our school community is a place where all students can live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, harassment, or violence.
The statement followed walkouts in late September by thousands of students who opposed the draft policies from Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the Virginia Department of Education. Prior to the school board meeting, the LGBTQ staff advocacy group FCPS Pride led a protest in front of Luther Jackson Middle School.
Released on Sept. 16 and open for public comment through Oct. 26, the state’s draft policies direct schools to treat transgender and gender-expansive students according to their sex assigned at birth unless they present legal documentation of a change to their name or sex.
Even if a student changes their official school records, the policies say they must still use facilities based on their sex assigned at birth and prohibit schools from disciplining staff or students who misgender or deadname a student, citing free speech protections.
In its statement, the school board says FCPS will continue to adhere to its existing policy and regulation, which prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and promise acceptance of “a student or parent’s assertion of a student’s gender-expansive or transgender status.”
The policies allow students to use “a locker room or restroom consistent with the student’s gender identity,” which run opposed to the state’s new proposed policies.
When asked for a response to the school board’s statement, Youngkin’s office told FFXnow that the guidelines are not for the local school system to decide.
“Children belong to families not bureaucrats and school board members,” Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter wrote in an email. “Virginians spoke clearly last year and they continue to say that parents matter. Parents deserve to be involved in all critical discussions about their children. School boards should bring them into the conversation, not cut them out of it.”
Noting that most school districts in Virginia never adopted model policies under former governor Ralph Northam, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay told FFXnow last month that he believes the county would be on “safe legal ground” if FCPS sticks with its own policies.
Last week was the first school board meeting since Youngkin’s draft policies were released. The board also voted unanimously on a resolution to declare October “LGBTQIA+ History Month” in county schools.
Providence District School Board Representative Karl Frisch, who lost a bid this weekend for the House of Delegates, called the new state-proposed policies “shameful and divisive.”
“I’m proud of the policy and regulations we have implemented in Fairfax County Public Schools to protect and affirm our LGBTQIA students, particularly those who are transgender and gender expansive,” he said. “Unfortunately, we have not always moved fast enough. Generations of students and staff walked the halls of our buildings before they were treated with respect by our school division. Thankfully, we have made extraordinary progress, especially in recent years.”
He also commended students for protesting and deciding to “stand up for change.”
Other school board members, including Mason District’s Ricardy Anderson and Springfield’s Laura Jane Cohen, shared similar sentiments.
During the public comments portion of the meeting, many community members also shared concerns and fear about the policies. One FCPS student noted they were “terrified” by the governor’s proposals, and another called them “blatantly discriminatory.”
Several FCPS teachers also spoke, with one saying that the new policies would undermine a school system’s top goal of protecting students.
A number of speakers asked the school board to go beyond words and “take concrete actions” against Youngkin’s proposed policies.
Photo via Alexander Grey/Unsplash
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
I’d like to introduce you to my friend Dr. David Gustitus. David had a long time chiropractic care practice in Wisconsin but recently relocated to Virginia and is opening his new practice in Vienna in November.
He’s a chiropractor, former D1 division athlete (soccer), auto immune disease battler, new to empty nesting dog dad, and a really nice guy. He does some really interesting things if you’re trying to get your health under control, or your kids might need some help.
Here are some highlights:
- Working with student athletes on shoulder pain, nutrition, neck pain, concussion care, and more. He understands first hand, the needs of a student athlete and the demands we place on kids right now.
- Root Cause Functional Medicine — finding out what’s causing your issue by looking at the full picture instead of treating just the symptoms
- Chiropractic care using X-Ray technology to pinpoint where an adjustment would be most beneficial
- Neuropathy
- TMJ
- Vertigo
- Weight loss
David has a very kind bedside manner, so if you’re tired of doctors pushing you in and out of the office quickly and dismissing what you’re feeling, he’s your man. You can follow him on Facebook or Instagram.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Holly Seibold, founder and president of the menstrual equity nonprofit BRAWS, prevailed in last week’s Democratic caucus for the next 35th House District delegate.
After three days of voting, the Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) announced Saturday evening (Oct. 8) that Seibold had won the party’s nomination over Providence District School Board Representative Karl Frisch by just 67 votes.
“I cannot thank the Democrats of District 35 enough for this tremendous honor,” Seibold said on social media. “I promise to make you proud in Richmond and fight for the Virginia values of equality, justice, and freedom.”
And thank you to @KarlFrisch for his kind words and for making me a better candidate. Democrats stand strong together, and I look forward to us all uniting to keep this seat blue on January 10th.
— Holly Seibold for Delegate (@HollySeiboldVA) October 8, 2022
The 35th District seat — which represents Tysons, Vienna, Dunn Loring, Oakton and Fair Oaks — is open after longtime delegate Mark Keam resigned last month to take a job in the Biden administration. Keam had served in the House of Delegates for 13 years.
The FCDC opted to choose its nominee for Keam’s successor through an unassembled caucus, inviting Democratic voters in the district to cast their ballots in person on Saturday at Patrick Henry Library in Vienna, Oakton Elementary School, and the Kilmer Center near Dunn Loring.
Early voting was also available at the FCDC headquarters last Tuesday and Thursday (Oct. 4 and 6).
According to the final results, there were 2,356 ballots cast overall, including 401 early votes. Seibold received 1,210 votes to Frisch’s 1,143.
The two candidates put up a united front after the results were announced. Seibold thanked Frisch “for his kind words and for making me a better candidate,” while Frisch promised to support her in the special election on Jan. 10.
“Losing is a little easier to digest when it’s to someone as capable as @HollySeiboldVA,” he said on Twitter. “She will be a great Delegate. We have three months until the Special Election to fill @MarkKeam’s seat and I will do whatever I can to help her succeed.”
That said, losing is a little easier to digest when it’s to someone as capable as @HollySeiboldVA. She will be a great Delegate.
We have three months until the Special Election to fill @MarkKeam‘s seat and I will do whatever I can to help her succeed.
2/3
— Karl Frisch (@KarlFrisch) October 8, 2022
A Vienna resident since 2012 and former Fairfax County Public Schools teacher, Seibold started BRAWS in 2015 to help provide menstrual supplies and undergarments to those in need. Her advocacy resulted in Virginia now requiring schools to make free tampons and pads available to all students and ending its sales tax on tampons.
She told FFXnow last week that her priorities include fully funding schools, addressing learning loss and ensuring students “receive a world-class education” free from gun violence, taking action on climate change that creates new jobs and invests in the most vulnerable communities, protecting abortion rights, and expanding “economic resources to women and children in crisis.”
“Holly works day-in and day-out to make our community a better place for everyone,” FCDC Chair Bryan Graham said in a statement. “While our absentee Governor and his lackeys in the legislature attack public education, the LGBTQ+ community, environmental protections, and even democracy itself, we need candidates like Holly to lead the fight to protect the progress we’ve made and forge a path to move Virginia forward when we retake the House of Delegates next year.”
To select its nominee, the Fairfax County Republican Committee will hold a party canvass at its headquarters (4246 Chain Bridge Road) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 5 — the Saturday before Election Day. No GOP candidates have been publicly announced yet.
Called by Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert on Sept. 8, the special election on Jan. 10 will take place the day before the General Assembly convenes for its 2023 session.
Local Bus Changes for Indigenous Peoples’ Day — In observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, formerly known as Columbus Day, Fairfax Connector will operate on a holiday weekday schedule today (Monday). Metrorail is following a standard weekday schedule, but Metrobus is using a Saturday supplemental schedule. [Fairfax Connector, WMATA]
Local Tourism Spending Starts to Bounce Back — “Though still down from pre-pandemic levels, Fairfax County continued to make inroads in terms of rebounding tourism spending in 2021, according to new state figures. Domestic visitors spent an estimated $2.4 billion in Fairfax County in 2021, up more than 22 percent from 2020, according to figures reported Oct. 4 by the Virginia Tourism Corp.” [Sun Gazette]
Possible Sinkhole Closes Tysons Blvd — “Road damage closed a portion of Tysons Boulevard between International Drive and Park Run Drive on Friday, according to Fairfax County police. The incident was initially reported as a sinkhole, police said.” [ABC7]
Vienna Church Collects Kits for Hurricane Ian Survivors — “In response to the hurricane’s destruction, Vienna Presbyterian Church launched a fundraiser to create Gift From the Heart Relief kits that will benefit Florida residents…Cleanup bucket kits and hygiene kits can be delivered to Vienna Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.” [Patch]
Groveton Workforce Training Center Gets Grand Opening — “With the grand opening of the new Workforce Innovation Skills Hub (W.I.S.H.) at the Hybla Valley Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 8, Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk is fulfilling his campaign promise to deliver in his first term a workforce center in an economically challenged part of Southeast Fairfax County.” [On the MoVe]
Animal Shelter Adoptions on the Rise — “The Fairfax County Department of Animal Sheltering has seen a nearly 60-percent surge in pet adoptions in the last six months and is ramping up to meet the need with additional programs and a new shelter set to open next year.” [Sun Gazette]
Upcoming Mosaic District Restaurant Gets New Name — “The team behind Compass Rose and Maydan are putting the finishing touches on the first of two Northern Virginia restaurants…Their kebab-centric Eastern Mediterranean concept — opening next month in Fairfax’s Mosaic District — formerly went by Tawle. But owner Rose Previte has since decided to go with a more personal name that won’t be confused with Maydan’s family-style ‘tawle’ menu: Kirby Club.” [Washingtonian]
Virginia’s Pay-Per-Mile System Already Biggest in U.S. — “More than 7,000 Virginians have signed up to pay a fee for each mile they drive under a program launched this summer, putting the state at the forefront of a nationwide effort using new technology to prop up gas taxes that pay for roads.” [The Washington Post]
County Highlights Link Between Guns and Domestic Violence — “As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October and Family Services’ focus on domestic and sexual violence and firearms surrender, [Domestic and Sexual Violence Services advocacy services program manager Angela] Yeboah was featured on the Oct. 5 edition of the ‘County Conversation’ podcast.” [Fairfax County Government]
It’s Monday — Clear throughout the day. High of 66 and low of 44. Sunrise at 7:14 am and sunset at 6:39 pm. [Weather.gov]
The weekend is almost here. Before you consider whether your neighborhood school should have a speed camera or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit the past week of news in Fairfax County.
Here are the 10 most-read stories on FFXnow this week:
- Three dead after vehicle crashes in Tysons and Fort Belvoir, FCPD says
- FCPD to review viral traffic stop of mother on Richmond Highway
- Fairfax County proposes compelling developers to replace lost affordable housing
- Virginia’s limits on local authority are becoming “more intrusive” for Fairfax County, board chair says
- Fairfax County must pay MWAA another $40M for Silver Line Phase II
- New Route 7 travel lane opens earlier than expected in Reston
- County plans to get more HOAs on board with electric vehicle chargers, starting in Reston
- I-495 widening will require removal of cell tower in McLean, potentially affecting service
- Police: Vienna resident assaulted after confronting men leaving his apartment
- Shooter fires gun into car in Mount Vernon, killing man, police say
Ideas for potential stories can be sent to [email protected] or submitted as an anonymous tip. Photos of scenes from around the county are welcome too, with credit always given to the photographer.
Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below. Have a great weekend, Fairfax County!
Fairfax County’s inventory of pickleball facilities has expanded with the arrival of 10 courts dedicated to the increasingly popular sport.
Newly renovated courts at Lewinsville Park in McLean and George Washington Park in Mount Vernon will officially open on Saturday, Oct. 15, the Fairfax County Park Authority announced yesterday (Thursday).
The festivities will start at 9 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting at GW Park (8426 Old Mt. Vernon Road) led by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck. Park officials and local pickleball advocates will also make remarks, and there will be time for photos and “light refreshments,” according to the news release.
The park authority began demolition work on the GW courts this spring, one of five court renovation or maintenance projects planned for this year.
The park’s four tennis courts have been converted into six courts dedicated to pickleball and two courts that can be used by both sports. The $202,306 renovation also added new surfacing, fencing and nets.
Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road) will get its ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m. Expected speakers include FCPA Executive Director Jai Cole, Board Member Tim Hackman and Fairfax County Advocates for Pickleball, the release says.
Costing $650,000, the Lewinsville project resurfaced and added new fencing for all six of the park’s courts, but only one was turned into dedicated pickleball courts, a downsizing from the park authority’s original plans to repurpose two or three of the facilities.
Tennis players had argued that the county doesn’t have enough courts for their sport to cede or share that many with their pickleball-playing counterparts, a conflict that has emerged as a top challenge to the county’s efforts to add more pickleball facilities.
“The improvements align with recommendations in the recently completed Pickleball Study and are an effort to introduce a greater variety of court sports to accommodate the diverse users across the county,” the FCPA said of the Lewinsville and GW renovations. “Interest in pickleball locally and countywide is growing quickly, and the introduction of pickleball at these locations will address the need for additional facilities for this emerging sport.”
This summer, the park authority celebrated the launch of the Wakefield Park Pickleball and Tennis Complex in Annandale, a $410,000 renovation project that installed two pickleball courts and accessibility improvements.
The ongoing widening of I-495 from Tysons to McLean will require the permanent taking of 1.15 acres from Scott’s Run Nature Preserve.
As compensation, the Virginia Department of Transportation has proposed building a new park for the Fairfax County Park Authority on a 1.83-acre site at the corner of Georgetown Pike and Balls Hill Road that it currently uses as a maintenance yard.
“This is a commitment that we made and worked very closely with the park authority to provide all the features that they require,” VDOT Megaprojects Director Susan Shaw told the Board of Supervisors’ transportation committee last Friday (Sept. 30).
According to a draft agreement dated July 12, VDOT will dedicate a 1.27-acre portion of its property to a park with seating, bicycle racks and a repair station, “passive open space,” and a plaza at the head of a 10-foot-wide connection to a trail along Georgetown Pike.
The trail is part of a regional network that VDOT has committed to providing as part of the I-495 Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project, which is extending the interstate’s toll lanes about three miles from the Dulles Toll Road toward the American Legion Bridge.
“The expanded trail network will likely exacerbate the currently stressed parking situation at the [Scott’s Run] Preserve, a very popular park in Park Authority’s system that became overwhelmingly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the agreement shared with FFXnow says.
To support that increased demand, VDOT’s proposed park will have a circular parking lot with 25 spaces, four of them designed as ADA-accessible. The department will also construct a 5-foot-wide sidewalk along Balls Hill Road, leading into the park.
VDOT needs to obtain “a right of entry” by Nov. 15, but the park authority has been “very helpful in working together with us,” Shaw said.
“There are still some final steps. It’s very tight, but we feel like we’re on track to meet that Nov. 15 date,” she said.
An FCPA spokesperson says the authority hasn’t officially agreed to the swap, since it still needs to be approved by state agencies and the National Park Service.
“We are working with VDOT on their 495 project,” the park authority said in a statement to FFXnow. “We are awaiting further input and documentation from the state and NPS, so technically we have not signed off on the discussions but are working closely with all parties to resolve issues and fulfill all environmental requirements and regulations.”
When asked what issues still need to be resolved, the spokesperson said “that is simply a reference to fulfilling all environmental requirements and regulations” and that “there is really nothing more to share at this time.”
In the draft agreement, VDOT says it will dedicate the park land once 495 NEXT reaches “substantial completion,” which is currently expected to come in December 2025.
“This will allow the Design-Build Contractor to use the existing maintenance yard from I-495, without mixing with school traffic at Cooper Middle School to maximize the safety of school traffic,” VDOT says.
County officials expressed concern about 495 NEXT’s potential environmental impact, particularly on Scott’s Run, throughout the planning process, though the Board of Supervisors ultimately endorsed the project as necessary to relieve congestion on the Capital Beltway.
As part of an agreement between VDOT and the board, I-495 Express Lanes operator Transurban will provide nearly $1.4 million to help restore approximately 3,000 linear feet of Scott’s Run and stabilize stream banks at two locations, Shaw said.
That work won’t begin until after 495 NEXT is completed in 2026, so workers can take into account the Beltway’s new footprint, according to Shaw. The county’s public works department told FFXnow in July that it won’t have construction funding until July 1, 2025 at the earliest, anyway.
Retired Priest Found Not Guilty of Sexual Abuse — “Terry Wayne Specht, 69, of Pennsylvania was found not guilty by a jury in Fairfax County of one felony count of aggravated sexual battery of a child younger than 13, court records show. Investigators claimed the assault took place in 2000, according to an indictment, when Specht was chaplain and assistant principal at St. Paul VI Catholic High School.” [The Washington Post]
Vehicle Hits Pedestrian in Groveton — Fairfax County police officers were dispatched to the 7200 block of Fordson Road yesterday morning (Thursday) after a driver hit an adult, male pedestrian. The crash closed the street between Richmond Highway and Lockheed Blvd for more than an hour. Initially considered life-threatening, the man’s injury condition was later upgraded. [FCPD/Twitter]
Victim in Annandale Hit-and-Run ID’d — Dalchoon Park, 74, of Annandale died Sunday (Oct. 2) after a driver hit her while she was crossing Annandale Road in the 4200 block, Fairfax County police say. The driver left the scene without providing aid and remains unidentified, though a witness said a “small white SUV or sedan” stopped in the area before driving away. [FCPD]
Local LGBTQ Students Targeted After Transgender Policy Protests — “In the days after the walkout and the tremendous media coverage it generated, [the Pride Liberation Project’s] internal communications — including a private Zoom meeting and a message board created for students — were accessed by conservative activists who subsequently began sharing screenshots and other information from the group online and with right-wing media.” [Salon]
Inova Buys More Land Around Fairfax Hospital — “Inova Health System is pleased to announce the purchase of approximately 35 acres of land adjacent to the north of Inova Fairfax Medical Campus. The land is currently developed and used under a long-term ground lease to RBDW Amberleigh LLC as the Amberleigh apartment community. Inova has no immediate plans for the land and will have no role in operation of the housing units for the duration of the term of the ground lease.” [Inova]
County Farmers Markets Offer Hot Food — “The Fairfax County Park Authority farmers markets are pleased to announce the 2022 hot foods pilot program for the remainder of this year’s market season. Customers will now be able to purchase a hot breakfast or dinner at the McLean, Annandale, Kingstowne and Oak Marr farmers markets from select vendors.” [FCPA]
Rep. Wexton and Challenger Hung Cao Face Off — “Inflation and abortion kicked off the 90-minute forum Wednesday night, capturing the divides on two issues that have largely defined the campaign narratives in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District and beyond as the nation reels from inflation at a 40-year high and wrestles with the fallout of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.” [The Washington Post]
Fairfax County NAACP Praises New Park Signs — “The Fairfax County branch of the NAACP has awarded NOVA Parks executive director Paul Gilbert a Freedom Fund Community Advocate Award, which celebrates community members who fight for equality and a better future…Under Gilbert’s leadership, NOVA Parks has unveiled nine new interpretive signs in the past year that showcase a more diverse history.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 73 and low of 55. Sunrise at 7:11 am and sunset at 6:43 pm. [Weather.gov]
This sponsored column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road in Arlington). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Experience Arrowine’s Tastings & Events. Have a question? Email [email protected].
What if, during your life, you could only practice your chosen profession 45 times? Well, that’s winemaking! Think about it: 45 times, that’s it. And you have to get it right each time, no matter the circumstances. Mother Nature is rarely consistent, perhaps never. Every year a winemaker has to make an enormous amount of decisions based on what the vintage gives them to work with.
Let me explain: we discussed the notion of “terroir” before. A “successful” wine must transfer or speak of the place it is from; that’s the whole enchilada, nothing less, or why drink wine in the first place?
We choose a particular varietal, a Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc, from a “specific place” with an expectation of what it will taste like and how it will work with a particular food or moment. But how do we form these expectations?
The winemaker’s job is to seamlessly get the land’s soul into the bottle without screwing it up. And, to capture not just the particular varietal or blend but to bottle “the vintage,” to pleasantly give you the flavors or expression of that particular growing season, that is the Art, my friends! And great winemakers embrace this challenge.
They know they are working with a product that doesn’t lend itself well to intervention, manipulation, or strongarm tactics. As a winemaker, you listen to the grapes, they don’t listen to you. No matter what you could do to change the nature of the fruit (technology today allows for this, lipstick on a pig), a cosmetic. Trying to change the soul of the wine is a fool’s errand.
I took 25 clients on a river cruise five years ago. I planned each visit, and when I sat back and looked at each winemaker I selected to visit, women ran 80% of them! Some of you might disagree, but I believe women are better suited for making wine. Women seem to approach winemaking from a more cerebral, nurturing perspective. They are more apt to deal with the realities of the vintage, to let the vintage speak, allowing the wine to be what it is intrinsically, and not forcing it to do or taste as they “think” it should. Perhaps it has something to do with maternal instincts. I’m not a psychologist, so I can only guess.
Now for the nitty-gritty, decisions, decisions. It all starts with picking the harvest date. The hard and fast rule is harvest takes place 100 days after flowering. But it’s not that easy; here’s why; when I started in this business 45-plus years ago, “Brix” were everything. People harvest according to the sugar content of the fruit. Winemakers squished a grape, placed the juice on a refractometer, and read the sugar content of the juice. That told you the potential alcohol level, and when you hit “your number,” you picked. Today winemakers get more up-close and personal. They go into the vineyards weeks before the harvest and observe.
They examine the stalks. Are they ripe, woody (overripe), shriveled, or green and healthy? Then they look at the all-important skins (healthy mature skins are everything in making red wine, especially). Grape skins are the primary source of tannins, allowing the wine to age gracefully. The all-important skins also contain phenols or compounds that enable the wine to develop complex aromas. Are the skins ripe and not bitter when you bite into them? Are they fragile, easily broken, damaged, or sunburned?
Then comes tasting the entire berry, not just for sweetness but maturity; the skins, the flesh, and the pips. Then you are ready to go, or maybe not? More on that next week!
Cheers,
Doug
Photo by Kym Ellis on Unsplash
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
