Harvest has excellent PR. Golden light, beautiful vineyards, people carrying baskets of grapes as though they’ve just stepped out of a Renaissance painting.

Then the fruit reaches the cellar.

There are decisions to make, things to remove, temperatures to watch, skins to manage, and a rather large population of yeast to keep happy.

It’s less romantic than harvest. It also explains an enormous amount about what eventually ends up in your glass.

This week, OINOS is following the grapes through the cellar, one decision at a time.

Starting with the part that rarely makes it onto the postcard.