The Wine Knows

Winemaking is tough work, especially during harvest, which often is a 60-day marathon with few - if any - days off as the grapes relentlessly arrive, oblivious to whatever else you might want to be doing. Such is the case with winemaking parents whose children play fall sports.

Doug Gore, director of winemaking for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, is all over Eastern Washington these days, checking on vineyards, meeting with viticulturalists and strategizing with his winemakers. Where he'd like to be on Saturday is in Idaho to watch his son, Dan Gore, play football. Dan Gore is a starting lineman for the Boise State Broncos (yeah, the team that shocked Oklahoma and the world in that amazing Fiesta Bowl game last winter). The Broncos play host to the Washington Huskies this weekend. Where will Dad be? Depends on the grapes.

Charlie Hoppes, owner/winemaker for Fidelitas Wines on Washington's Red Mountain, is in the same boat. His son, Will, is a sophomore who starts as quarterback for Tri-Cities Prep in Pasco. Charlie runs the scoreboard when he can make the games, when the grapes don't get in the way.

If I were a winemaker, I probably would worry about something as trivial as missing a good college football game on Saturdays. For winemaking parents, it's more than just a game; it's the big moments in their children's lives. Somehow, they are able to balance it all by putting in extra hours here and there to make room for the important family times.

But if Cabernet Sauvignon is coming in from Champoux Vineyards, can you really let it sit there so you can take off for a few hours to watch your boy play football? Those are the tough questions I would not want to answer.