A day in the wineries, and rubble of the Earth quake

Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Wed 9 Jun 2010 22:18
Off we went this morning over the hills heading to wineries as we pass the
houses a regular site here is rubble and houses empty and half up. This area
was hit by the Feb Chile earthquake and registered 8.3 so everyone is
effected and most of the wineries are not open due to damage.
You can see from the photos some of the stainless tanks that crumbled with
wine in them as the earthquake happened, it was lucky that it happened only
a week into vintage. Many barrels fell and broke, and wine bottles dropped,
but we found 3 wineries open.
You can see from the photos at the end some of houses and a church that were
hit, but these are only a couple, nearly every second place has damage,
walls are being held up by wood, and cracks in the road etc. Even the B & B
we staying in has cracks in the floor and wall.
But this did not stop us, we found the wineries great, the welcome was warm
very different tasting to California, Australia etc, it is very personalized
where you have a 1 on 1 tasting with great discussion. The reds are deep and
superb in nose and Syrah (which I like is real, not like California). For
lunch we found a beautifully located winery, built into the hill, and the
mountains behind. As we parked in between all of the original winery
machinery including steam engines, and presses. It was nice to take Sean
through the processes from the grape and then show him the machinery and
process, based on my years in the wineries back in Australia at Hordens
(Upper Hunter Valley). I have always liked been in the hills and vineyards
with the flowers, the smell of wine, and wood. This one had a lovely deli
which we could then sit out the back overlooking the vines and with the
towering hills above in their golden autumn leaves on the vines and trees,
with the sun out it was lovely, and a nice wine to go with it. With very few
visitors, and clear day, tasting the ranges of wines was a relaxing
experience.
The wines are worth the trip.


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