Kennedy's European Experience: Picking Grapes in Leiwen

17 Oct - We travelled to Leiwen to help pick grapes. We were a little worried as it was raining on our way there but the rain passed by the time we got there. We started about 1030 picking grapes on the hills on the North side of the Mosel. Michael's family also has help from Russia and Poland join them seasonally to help work. Picking the grapes is a very unique experience. You have a pair of sheers to cut the grape bundles off the vines. They are very soft skinned and juice get's everywhere!! Once your bucket is full, you dump it in a larger bucket that Michael would put on his back and carry down the hill - slippery hill of crushed slate rock. Very dangerous. Jamie picked in the morning and did a great job. She was very good and pretty quick with clipping her grapes. About 1230, Petra and Kim arrived with lunch. We took a break and had a very heartly and traditional grape harveting meal of mashed potatos with saurkraut and bacon mixed together and wurst (sausage) and bread. We had water or juice to drink. The weather was beautiful (when sunny) and not too cold. We started picking again at 1330 and stopped at 1730. We picked in several small areas on the lower parts of the hill. Accompaning us was my operations officer, Don Sankey, who enjoyed it as well. After picking, we returned to their home with a trailer full of grapes. Michael showed us how the grapes are squeezed and then drained of juice. He estimates we picked about 1800 liters of juice which will make about 1400 bottles of wine. For dinner, Petra prepared a cheese cake, open faced sandwiches and coffee. Alfons took Don on a short tour of the wine cellar and a wine probe of the wines that are still fermenting. It was a great time and one of the wonderful unique experiences we've had while in Europe with our Favorite German Family!!!