Scott Uncorked: Bottling Bubbles & Prepping Barrels

Harvest season in the Finger Lakes is like stepping onto a treadmill that someone else controls: you never know when it’s going to speed up, but you’d better keep moving. On my crush weekends at Silver Thread Winery, I’ve already been thrown into two very different jobs: bottling sparkling wine and getting barrels prepped for the incoming reds.

Bottling the Bubbles

If you’ve never seen sparkling wine bottled, picture a fast-moving assembly line with just enough unpredictability to keep things interesting. One bottle fills perfectly, the next decides to spray like a shaken can of soda. By the end, you smell like you’ve already had a glass (or two). But honestly, it’s worth it because months or years from now, someone’s going to pop one of those bottles at a celebration and taste the artistry, chaos, and laughter that went into it.

Barrel Boot Camp

Over in the barrel room, it’s less party, more elbow grease. Cleaning, steaming, and stacking barrels is basically like sending oak through a boot camp so it’s ready for action. A clean, tight barrel means the reds ferment and age the way they should—no surprises, no weird flavors sneaking in. Not glamorous, but trust me, the wine will thank you later.

The Calm Before the Crush

With the grapes about to roll in, the whole place feels like it’s holding its breath. Pumps are polished, hoses coiled, barrels stacked, and it’s all systems go. The minute fruit shows up on the crush pad, it’s game on. Long days, late nights, sticky hands, purple stains. But for now, it’s the quiet before the storm, if by “quiet” you mean bottling bubbles and barrel boot camp.

Stay tuned! The next update will probably involve me looking like I lost a wrestling match with a bin of grapes.

To learn more about the grapes we’ll be harvesting, check out this post.

If you’re following along, thanks for being part of the ride—more stories (and wines) to come. If you want to stay updated on the latest posts, make sure to subscribe to our blog. And don’t forget to check out our Facebook group, Finger Lakes Food and Wine Adventure.

Cheers from the lake,
—Scott