When knowledge becomes habit

Late Spring skies over the Yarra Valley in 2007 during my semester research project in NMIT vineyards.

I've started revising this week, all the things I learnt in my course in Canada. Most of the stuff in my assessment will be things I covered 5 years ago in those courses I did, the big sacrifice of my 'work holiday' fun time. I remember how much I studied.
I had every night at work, standing at the front desk after check in was done, and I would type up my notes. Then I studied evey morning when I woke up and of course I dated a guy who was in my course and we were obsessed by wine and would spend hours in wine stores in Banff looking at the labels. I had things stuck on the walls all over my room and would write down the 7 Grand Cru of Chablis in my bored moments, in case I had somehow forgotten them.

I am getting a little scared. I have about 2.5 months to refresh everything I learnt over 18 weeks and then all the stuff in my 3 years of degree studies (yes they do ask viti and vini questions).

When I was studying earlier this week, I noticed how much stuff has become integrated in my general knowledge, that is, it has become part of things I take for granted.

An example, one of the the things on my flash cards said "site selection - flat compared to hills". The answer I gave now (in my head) was - it just isn't as good because..., I know that, everyone knows that. I just knew that there are places and sites that just wont work. I used to drive around, on the way to uni and look at the paddocks on either side and decide where I would plant a vineyard if I owned that land. 5 years ago my answer would have been very precise and rote: chance of bad drainage, higher fertility soil, basically great for vegies, not for wine vines. These days I just know that stuff and if pressed for an answer I would struggle, even though I know that stuff. It has just become way more instinctive.

In a way this is much harder, because there is no tutor, there is no weekly tasting, there is no support network or living a life filled with people on the same wavelength. My knowledge has gone underground - it is there, but to put it into words is much harder because it is part of the way I think now, but on the other hand I am reassured that the knowledge is in there and it is no longer just theory on page or concepts that I can spell let alone see.

The funny thing is that I learnt all the French terms for wine making, years ago, just like I learnt to climb in French Canadian. Now, to think in English about these things is still quite foreign.

The absolute scary part is remembering all the names of things I cannot afford to drink (most things). However I am expected to know by rote all the chateau of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Growths of Medoc, the other major Chateau of Bordeaux (fair enough), all of the Grand Cru of Burgundy, the regions of Italy (who on earth can comprehend Italy's wine regions?), the Grand Cru of Chablis (easy) the Cru of Beaujolais (easy), the major grapes of Spain, Portugal (tricky, as lots of common grapes but with names 10 miles long that often mean the same variety). Its hard. But now I am freaking out. I'm sure its like riding a bike The good news is the rep from Fine Wine Partners said I can open anything reasonably priced (ie under 100 bucks, given that they supply our Hill of Grace, I am lucky). for free, for practice, if I provide a tutored taste to our staff when I open it. Nice work.

What a long day

What a long day it has been. My sister had the hide to ask me how my long weekend has been. Long weekends just mean two sets of 'Sundays', its a little like Groundhog Day.

As we know it is the Queen's birthday. It irks me that the queen gets to 'celebrate' her birthday so close to mine every year, and I have to work because it is always a long weekend, and it is not even the actual real birthday of the queen. Everyone else seems to love to celebrate for her.

Anyway, enough whinging. What has happened on this very long day?

I woke at six to put bored kitties outside and get ready for work. For the second day this winter I had to get out the watering can to get rid of the ice on my windscreen. I covered front desk as our FOM is off sick (everyone seems to get sick on Fridays over a long weekend and get better on Tuesdays). I spent 4 hours catching up on yesterday's work that I didn't get done from covering sick people. I then did an impromptu wedding site (as always, QLD'ers have never heard of appointments, or day light saving....). I then spent a few hours helping F & B catch up, as they had been slammed with people revelling in the queen's birthday with traditional gifts of abuse, love for themselves and hope for no one on earth as long as they breathe. I then checked in a group of people who we had no names for or much sense out of, but who promptly found their rooms, plugged in foreign electronic devices and sent 9 rooms into total darkness (thanks). They then had an arguement with poor timid waitstaff about a campfire that they wanted to steal from another family (OMG.....!). I then had the kitchen boys bitch at me because we ended up with 12 less a la carte than they had prepared for (a huge sigh of relief for the waitstaff who had made 6 beds for me just before dinner service). I walked down to the staff carpark in darkness because I lent my torch to some guest during the blackout and they disappeared (into the darkness) with it.

I went home very happy to have the day over, and so was kitty as she got to come in out of the cold and sleep in this very comfy possie on the couch. I personally have always wanted to sleep there but I am too large.

For dinner I had excellent semi frozen Latina ravioli with some mini roma tomatoes, fetta, proscuitto and some left over BBQ chicken. Quickly followed up / accompanied by half a bottle of 2006 Shiraz from WA.

For anyone that does not know I am sitting for my certified sommelier exam in August and am therefore allowed to have as much practice as it takes. Especially on a very long day like today.

This week in the country

Last week on our day off we had breakfast at Forest Hill (thank you lady). My usual favourite dish of pancakes, bacon, maple syrup, cream and poached eggs. Yes, eggs. On the way back, we saw the view across the valley (for the 70 thousanth time) and yet again I tried to capture the big open space of the valley and the flat flat land. The sunflower paddock on this corner was almost wiped out by all the rain, but it was still a beautiful sight amongst the other crops. Everyone around grows different things and often its hard to identify whats in the paddock. Michael and I always like to surmise what it is growing and often dont find out till we see them harvesting it months later.

We went out to breakfast to fortify ourselves for the big move. I have been planning to sort out the study for weeks. The last time I tried, I went to move my scrapbooking table and it took a slow crash tumble to the floor, having a loosely locked leg. I left everything and walked out the door and did not go back for a week. I really wanted to change the space and we decided to go dramatic and move the whole room out and switch it with the spare bedroom. Kitty and Charlotte were very confused when they were finally allowed back inside.

It only took about half an hour to move everything. But it took 3 hours to clean it up into some type of order. The spare bed is now in the sunniest room of the house, perfect for winter visitors. If I had to leave Michael (ie if we had a fight and I had to move out) I would claim the spare room, it warms up all afternoon and is still pleasant at night.

One of the worst things about working long hours in winter is that I rarely see the sun. I see it going up or coming down, but mostly miss it altogether. Recently the angle of the sun setting has thrown the pink sunset light into my office and I rush outside to take photos. Here is one of my favourites recently. It is the sunset over the horse paddock with the 'Gone with the Wind' tree in the foreground.

It was my birthday this week. These are my very expensive new red birthday shoes. Martin keeps telling me 'theres no place like home, theres no place like home.' They are really very comfy shoes and I look forward to wearing them in Paris.

Michael made an executive decision to bring home one of the old side boards from work that they removed this week. He loaded it into the back of my car, and by the time he got home later that night I had changed the kitchen around and now we have a kitchen table and more prep space.

This is me and Michael on my birthday. I have a weird chin because he pulled on my hat as I took the picture. After my crap day, we enjoyed a great night at home in front of the fire, with Yahtzee, a cheese platter and Nasi Goreng. We also watched one of my new Jane Austen BBC DVD's that he bought me for my birthday, brave boy.

Kitty wars continue in our house. However on my birthday night, Kitty sat back and watched crazy Charlotte wrap herself up in our net laundry basket. It entertained her for an hour. I bet she was thinking 'yep, a few months ago, I was a young'n like you and I used to do that too. Silly habit really.'

Today I achieved notoriety at work, when I walked out of a wedding expo that we were supposed to exhibit at because we weren't given the booth that we had been sold. Well, they sold it to us but they didn't explain it the way we found it. Who ever heard of a stall that is smaller at the front than at the back? We had a 1 m frontage on the front porch of an old Queenslander. It was a joke really and I packed us up and moved us out just before it was due to open. The floor coordinator was even ashamed to be associated with it when I went to complain (and I was not the first). By the time lunch was over at work, word had got around that I had told the organiser to 'jam it up her ass'. Word travels fast in a small place, I only wish I'd had the courage to actually say that.

Some random moments recently

Michael at home yesterday, watching the storm clouds roll around the valley. It was so windy we thought that we'd get something spectacular, but it just blowed.

Charlotte got stuck inside the fly screen when she was trying to escape last night. She was keen to go on the prowl but the vet said no food for 8 hours before her appointment and she is a pretty good hunter, not to mention a harlot. Looks innocent, but dont be deceived.

Campfire at work last week as we had had a very hard few days, followed up by a night where there was virtually no one in house. We had a BBQ in the Barn and then sat around the campfire and chatted. We had smores made with marshmallow and rolo chocolate.

Michael playing darts with Leanne in the Barn.

Fishbowl setting on my camera.

Waiting at the front gate for Grace to turn up. It was a Thursday afternoon two weeks ago and she rang at 1:00pm to say she'd be knocking off early at 2:00pm and could we have a drink. We had a thoroughly fab afternoon sitting on the verandah in the sun drinking Chardonnay and eating toast (yes, there was bread in the freezer).

Charlotte the Harlot, looking every bit the super model. Here she is being nice and normal and posing. She does not know that today her days of roaming the paddocks looking for a nice man cat are coming to an end.

My new birthday slippers.

Kitty, she's abit shy.

Just after sunrise at work yesterday, the weekly rain we've been getting has still not had much effect on the paddocks, as they turn a dry looking brown.

The fig tree wedding ceremony area, just after sunrise.

The valley at work blanketted in early morning fog.

Die Happy....

The Wii

Michael bought the Wii the week before last as an early birthday present. Technically the Wii is his, but the game - Wii Fit is mine, as well as the balance board. After standing on the thing for the first time and getting a complete balance, BMI, weight and fitness test, the wretched thing pronounced me 41 years old and 'overweight' which was not a surprise. I blame the outrageous age on my lack of being able to stand on one leg (one in particular). I have always prided myself on my balance, my flexiblity and when I was younger was not that unfit. How do I tell my Wii fit that I ought to have abit of leeway these days for reasons beyond my control.

The excerises are supposed to promote increase fitness, concentration, balance and posture. Michael in this shot was doing the ski jump, where you have to leap at the last minute to hit the right spot on the on screen display. Another favourites of ours is the hula hoop. I currently hold the lead at over 700 unbeatable spins in 6 minutes. Michael almost gave himself a heart attack trying to match my score (he didn't see me trying to get the record to start with, the kitties were alarmed). My favourite ever activity is the marching band - I have impecable rhythm.

This is Michael in'fishbowl' setting on my camera - an unfortunate meeting of my hobby and his hobby to create this embarrassing record of our home style fitness.
So far we have only used the Wii about half as much as we should. I have had to give up the hula hoop for the sake of my knees (and it frightens the kitties who watch with wonder every time). Michael however has lost 1.8 kg since we got it (yay) and we have bets on who gets the most points wins not having to do the washing up. When you guys come up in July we look forward to playing bowling with you.

Grange Tasting

Get ready for it, its a blog in progress......
However, while I am waiting for my camera battery to recharge so I can load the pictures, I was scrolling through the 'next blog' feature to see who is in my part of the blog world. Last time I had a blog I was followed up by a porn star, which is when I abrupting stopped blogging. This time, I am deep in bee keeping country and people with interesting plants or photos of interesting plants. Weird.


So the Grange tasting went really well, as you know. It was completely nerve wracking leading up to the tasting. My budget was $1400 in total to feature Australian and European wines, of which one needed to be the 2004 Penfolds Grange (like there is any other kind of Grange).
Michael and I went to Dan Murphy's to choose most of the other options as our wine list at work is not at the stage we would like it to be just yet, although it is doing well (you will be surprised at the new range - Capercaille has made it on).
I chose a Burgundy and a Victorian Pinot, a Crozes Hermitage, an Australian Chardonnay and a Chablis, and then a real confusing blend - a Cab Sav/ Zinfandel / Tempranillo which was desigend to confuse everyone. I'd already sourced a Victorian Shiraz from Heathcote, made biodynamically using French oak and tradtional slow fermentation, as well as an Alsacian Riesling and a NZ Riesling. To top it off we had the Grange, which I included in the Shiraz bracket.
It was all set up to be blind, with the European wines matched to a new world wine for guessing and comparison. We set it in the lounge of the homestead, with all the men (and one lady) gathered around on lounges, so it was very informal.
About half of the people present knew something about wine. The other half were very informal drinkers or not at all. The wine drinkers in the group had all heard that there was to be a Grange somewhere in the line up but only two or three had ever tried it.
We started with the riesling, it was confusing for the guys as most of them were not into modern riesling, having only the old sweet style as a reference. Once I knew this, I was not surprised when they went for thr riper more quickly matured NZ riesling over the more interesting and tightly closed dry Alsace riesling.
The two Chardonnays were much easier. Everyone picked up the Australian Chardonnay as it was so heavily and clumsily oaked. I had tried to find something that might be comparible so harder to guess, but it was a real embarrassment for Australian Chardonnay at $60 a bottle compared to the Chablis at $50.00 a bottle. The Chablis had the typical French nose to start but opened into a nice crisp Chardonnay, that mellowed well over the hour it was open.
The next round was the Burgundy vs the Victorian Pinot. This round was again not popular due to the lack of Pinot drinkers in the group, but I was glad that I'd made a better match. The wine drinkers of the group found it harder to choose between the French and Australian, and the main difference was the length of time to open and the classic 'Burgundy' nose compared to the slightly riper Victorian with its subtle rapsberry and hints of cherry. (I deliberately chose wines of the same year if possible and similar alcohol).
The Shiraz round had the Crozes Hermitage, the Grange and the Heathcote Shiraz. The Hermitage was easier to choose as French, being a lighter body and duller colour. However everyone was very impressed, as most of the wine drinkers had had the same problem as me, not finding a Hermitage that I've ever enjoyed. It was very smart at $35 a bottle.
The Grange and the Heathcote Shiraz presented a condundrum. For me it was easy to pick it, but I made it deliberatly confusing enough - giving out lots of technical info and hints so that even the wine drinkers second guessed themselves, having sharp palates for varieties and regions but not knowing much of the tecnical info. Most people have no reference in their palate for fine wines, so dont recognise the indicators when they taste them. This is where I found myself at Henschke a few years ago tasting the Hill of Grace. But I'd done some research on the Grange and knew it was supposed to be a typical Penfolds American oaked, in modern clean winemaker techniques - technically perfect. This is what made it easy to identify for me - Helen from Uni had drummed it into us for years about the compaisoin between American and French oak. However, the wine was smooth and sweet and clean, bright purple, dense and delicious.
The Heathcote had a much longer ferment with wild yeast and French oak. It was slightly duller but still really dense, with a dirtier (earthier) palate, but still quite intense, without the sweetness or smooth finish of the Grange, it was nevertheless an exceptional wine.
Without any background on what to expect from a Penfolds or knowledge of the wine making techniques or even understanding of what techniques will give what effect, the average person would be guessing, as the quality was very close (though in different styles). The best part was telling them that one wine cost $750 and the other was $32. It was the crowning part of the night.
After the tasting I had several men in the group approach me about their wine experiences and background - some were foreign, one from Italy who hates French wines (I promised him an Italian comparison next time) and a Texan who does not think wine is made where he lives. Another man had helped a friend set up a winery at Alice Springs years ago.
It was a fabulous experience to lead a group like this for such a prestigious wine. I would never buy one myself, but I wouldn't turn down a glass if one was offered. After the tasting, the group went into dinner and just for a comparison, ordered a Hill of Grace....

Today we took the new kitty to the vet for vaccination and identification. The vet thinks that Charlotte (as Michael has named her) is just over a yr old, making her about 6 months younger than Kitty. It was a real shock as she is the same size as Kitty was when we got her and the vet explained that she is just a small breed (as well as being short haired while kitty is long). She will probably not get much bigger and will likely stay sleek and slim like she is now, with a little Persian in body shape and Burmese in face.
Michael called her Charlotte because he hated the name I gave her - Miss Piggy. Instead he named her for Charlotte's Web because it has a pig in it - random really, but it suits her.

These pictures were taken with a setting on my camera called 'drawing' which I have never seen or used before.