The 2007 crush is on in earnest here at subterranean cellars. We have Viognier fermented nearly dry, Chenin Blanc bubbling away, and Blind Muscat just hit up the Amador Syrah with some yeast (the “Syrah” yeast strain, what else?). Plus, there’s a gallon of the Syrah juice, drained off four hours after crushing and showing some nice color, waiting patiently in the fridge for a couple of companion pilferings from other reds before starting us off on the annual mongrel rosé.

The Chenin has been the major adventure so far. I shared a table while judging the Marin County Fair amateur winemaking competition with a grower from the Lodi area, Gerald Cresci, who has run and judged both amateur and professional competitions forever. Turned out he grows some Chenin and was willing to sell me a couple hundred pounds. I recruited Steve “mini-Blind” Haas to motor out that way Labor Day morning; Gerald had the grapes, the three of us did the crushing and pressing, we tasted a little wine, headed home, stopped for an all-cholesterol brunch at the nearby IHOP, and the Chenin started its career.

Alas, a couple days later, through a kind of reverse Rube Goldberg episode, I knocked over a box which toppled another box which . . . sent a bottle of Chardonnay (of all things!) crashing into one of the carboys, putting four gallons of 22% sugar slop all over my basement floor. Third time such an accident has occurred in ten years of winemaking – surprisingly rare, but a true pain.

Looks like harvest all over the state will be early this year, and I can sense it will be one of those harvest when everything comes in at once. That is, two batches of Grenache, another Syrah, and batches of Mourvedre, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. So for those of you who are part of this rotating winemaking cru, and you know who you are, expect to start getting emails and pleas for help.

As an inducement, I might just slip you a bottle of either the Cab-Shiraz blend or the faux Ruby “Port” Roger Campbell and I bottled Labor Day weekend – mighty tasty.