The vintner's year – November

Jim Law of Linden Vineyards in Virginia provides the penultimate despatch in his particular ring cycle.

November is when the winegrower's high-flying season comes in for a landing. This was not an easy vintage, which is probably why instead of gliding in for a soft landing, I crashed. When those last grapes came off of the vines, I prematurely retreated to my comfy nest in front of the fireplace. However, even though the weight of harvest was behind us, cellar work was still very persistently demanding. I must admit that with age, it is getting harder to muster that second...