Thank Bob Dobbs for Tim Cadiente. Thought I was gonna have to break his legs but he came through with finding the lost photos from my first crush. My memory isn’t what it used to be so having the photos helps me expand on the stories. We started bringing in grapes before we’d actually finished the main winery structure. There was an older existing structure that was and still is basically a tool shed (hold the comments and chuckles until the end, please) and this is where we processed most of the first years juice. The quarters were cramped and the chiller barely worked. One room was overlit and the other barely lit. So over all it was a good, broken, get your feet wet in not so perfect conditions sort of 1st experience. Kinda like camping having forgotten your tent. Or matches. Or a compass. Our lab table was straight up ghetto but it worked. Of course it did. We’re spoiled. Winemakers hundreds years ago didn’t have the luxeries we all take for granted, and they still managed to make excellent wine. Maintain this flavor of healthy, grateful, big picture perspective and nothing will slow you down.