Adrian Bolshoi’s Full Story
For me, wine and family are universal languages that know no borders.
In my native country of Moldova, nearly everyone makes their own homemade wine. My family was no different, and as a child I would help make wine with grapes grown by both my maternal and paternal grandparents.
These cherished experiences inspired me to study enology at the Polytechnical University of Moldova. After graduating, I set my sights on the New World and landed an internship at a winery in Santa Ynez Valley.
In Moldova, a lot of wine is made with old Soviet-era equipment, and I wanted to experience some of the newer ideas and technologies.
I landed at LAX on August 3, 2011, just in time for harvest. I asked around at the airport about the bus to Buellton, but nobody knew what I was talking about. I started to wonder if this place, Buellton, actually existed.
I eventually caught the bus, and the rest is history.
I joined the winery earlier this year and also became a family man. My wife and I had our first child in January. Family and wine have always been at the heart of who I am.
A typical harvest day consist of fall mornings, pulling into the local donut shop, God’s Country Provisions, at 5 a.m. to pick up treats and coffee for my crew. It’s a ritual that helps them start the day on a high note and power through shifts that often stretch up to 12 hours, seven day per week.
The typical harvest day at the winery begins well before sunrise, with the grapes being harvested while the stars are still out. By the time my crew and I arrive at 6 a.m., the fruit is ready for processing. The white grapes are pressed immediately prior to fermentation, while the red grapes are fermented on the skins and pressed at the conclusion of fermentation.
As more and more blocks are picked, the cellar becomes a flurry of activity. Fermentation bins and tanks are emptied, cleaned and refilled. The press, pumps and pressure washers are continually in use. It ultimately becomes a ballet of coordinated movements, finishing up new wines while making way for more incoming fruit. After dark, the cellar is meticulously cleaned, the lights are turned off and the cellar goes quiet until it all begins again at sunrise.
When November comes around, the estate vineyard is fully picked. Some wines are already aging in the barrel, but others are still fermenting. The work hours are getting shorter, and days off will return soon.
The harvest always starts with excitement, and it ends with a huge sense of accomplishment.