Evans’ Rag

Vol 2 Issue 14

Social Distance in a Vineyard?

“No problem in the vineyard with social distancing–as many rows as one might want.” That’s how Bill Robson put it in his email. What’s not to like? Working outdoors, rolling hills with pleasantly peaceful views, sweet smell of country, springtime and the living is easy. You bet.

An architect I know–a good friend–is working a side job he’s hoping to turn into a second career developing a vineyard from scratch. It’s a side job only by virtue of slow return for long hours. Seems Bill has found the only work that pays less than architecture–oh, no, sorry, that’s writing.

Most of the California winemakers (or at least the ones who fund serious operations) have been well off. You can lose your shirt in a few poor seasons, like last year when chunks of countryside were in flames. Developing a vineyard in Virginia? Even tougher, I have to believe, even without California’s fire season. And it could be a better life than arguing with developers who won’t pay their bills.

Bill’s been doing pretty well at it, or had been until the virus that shall remain nameless booked a plane from China. Now that his vineyard tasting room is closed to the public by the Governor’s order, Bill is looking for alternatives to promote his wine.

We first met as architects. He helped bail the firm out of an overwhelming work load. Even brought wine to the office Christmas party one year, which was how I came to hear he was interested in the art of the grape.

I learned some stuff from Bill. Patience for one thing. I worked with him on a major construction project with a contractor who, delicately put, thought the world was made of nails his ego’s hammer could pound on. I dislike bullies, disliked them my entire life, and being Irish, I have no problem going nose to nose with their ilk. But watching Bill taught me something, he being more artful in how he kept his thoughts to himself.

He’s an easy person to like. Though I think Bill’s a candidate for this year’s Don Quixote award. You really, really, really have to want to make wine to put up with the work–and the disappointments. Like writing novels without even an endorphin high from the sex scenes. I dunno–are there sex scenes in growing grapes? Porn among the vines? I digress.

On several trips to Napa and Sonoma in the 90s, D and I found a shipping company who would box up the wine, label it olive oil, and send it across the country. This was in the day when Virginia still had restrictions against direct sales from other states’ vineyards–back before Virginia farmers wanted to sell their wine to other states. Took a while, but the farmers finally persuaded the legislature to side with them against the commercial grocery chains. Democracy in action.

The wine industry in Virginia is a far cry in scale from California’s but with an interesting side note. If you’ve ever heard of the Norton grape, you’re in a tiny minority. Seems this Virginian, Dr. Daniel Norton set out to develop a varietal that can deal with the East Coast mold, rain and bad grape-growing season. Thomas Jefferson tried his hand at wine grapes, but his best wines were clarets shipped from France by the barrel. Not that many years later, the good Doctor Norton discovered the varietal that was named in his honor. Norton grapes became the rage in Missouri–the heart of the American wine industry before Prohibition. This varietal been making a slow comeback since. It’s described by some as similar to Zin, and is popular as a blending wine. Norton - Born in the USA

The Norton is credited as saving the French wine industry being eaten (literally) by an aphid imported from America back in the mid-1800s. The Norton root stalk resists the little bugger–poetic justice that. Grafting French varietals onto Norton stalks allowed the French wines to make a comeback.

At Hammerstone Cellars, Bill grows Norton, along with Cab Franc (my favorite for a Virginia red), Merlot, Cab Sav, Petit Verdot, the usual red culprits. Bill’s white varietals include Viognier (another successful varietal in Virginia) Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Vidal Blanc. The art is in the blend, as the French have been practicing since the Pope kept vineyards in Rhone.

Hammerstone Cellars is part of the Montpellier Wine Trail “…a collection of small, family owned wineries located around historic Montpelier, in Orange County, Virginia.”

For any who are within driving distance of Fairfax County, I’d be happy to place orders and deliver. Layla and I could use an excuse to get out in the country; she loves car trips. It would be an entirely at-a-distance operation, masked and gloved, if with some dog fur thrown in for good measure. Or you can just email Bill directly and avoid the annoying middleman: hammerstonecellars@gmail.com

Duangrat’s Restaurant

Duangrat’s Restaurant is a well-loved institute in our area for as long as we’ve lived here. And the restaurant is opened for takeout. In the 80s when Thai food was first becoming popular in the DC area, Duangrat’s was celebrated as one of the best and the reputation has carried forward. Duangrat’s was always packed on the weekends. Last Friday, when we entered to pick up our takeout dinners, it was empty. The manager who served us said business was substantially down. The food was still great, the tom yum soup with shrimp, the noodle dish, the red curry duck.

Great stuff, though I missed their red dining room.

I wanted to ask about the wait staff, but it seemed impolite–I can guess that they’ve all filed for unemployment. More casualties. If we can’t save them, we can at least let these folks know we’re cheering for them–smiling behind our face masks.

How to Kill a Character

The subject’s not something I’ve ever thought about while writing fiction, but here’s one from a sub-Reddit on writing, How to Kill a Character  The piece is interesting, but still better are the responses.