I've been working at Hahn Winery in Soledad for two weeks now and am learning tons. Whether it's cleaning tanks/barrels, pumping wine from one tank to another or attending a random demonstration about falconers, things are beginning to make sense.
I will have enough diligence in the coming months to share such noteworthy experiences. In the picture above, cellar legend Antonio "Jefe" is holding an owl. Now, what the hell does this have to do with making wine?
Apparently, there are certain birds that love to peck at and ruin the grapes when they get ripe. Not good. So, to help alleviate the problem, Paul Clifton, the winemaker has hired two people to take their trained owls and falcons to scare away unwanted birds. The birds can even be trained to take money out of people's pockets. Cool. I couldn't help but think of the Keystone Light beer commercial where a mountain man trains his bird to cath a fish and impress a lady (click up top on the title: Working at a Winery). Believe it or not, the falcon and the owl are protecting the grapes. Good job birds.
4:30 a.m. is approaching quickly, so it's time to sleep. Stay tuned for more random winery tales.
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