It was a dramatic-looking day on the North Fork–cool and blustery, with steely gray clouds overhead–but the forecast was for harvest at McCall Vineyard. I found Russ McCall there on Thursday, October 1, with a small troop of friends, all armed with needle-nosed clippers, snipping pinot noir from the vines. All the pinot he was harvesting that day has been purchased to make sparkling wine.

 

What about the merlot? “It will need to hang another month,” he said–till November 1!–”since it’s about two weeks behind schedule. But I’m really pleased with the quality of the fruit.” It’s coming along nicely: the clusters are loose, giving each berry plenty of room to get sunshine and fresh air. He forecasts that the yield will be about half that of a good year, but considering the challenges he and all East End growers contended with this spring, he’s thankful for what he’s got.

-Donnell