That’s my son. His name is David, and he’s an awesome son. Recently, he and I went on a little “adventure” together, just him and I. It was time to pick up our Baco Noir juice from Lakeview Vineyards, near Beamsville Ontario in the Niagara region.

The picture above is David, after spending almost two hours in the car with me, falling asleep, and me waking him up when we arrived at Lakeview. David is kind of like his dad – waking up from sleep is not the most pleasant thing but once awake, watch out! David wanted to jump around on the steps, pick crab apples, and explore. But I needed to pick up my juice!

After picking up the juice, I asked the staff for permission to walk around their grounds, partly so I could take some pictures, and partly so David could expend some energy. Permission was granted, and David and I checked out the vineyard.

David regularly helps Daddy with wine making, and especially enjoys helping with the bottling. He likes to hold onto the corks, and when the big floor corker needs another cork, David knows exactly what to do. The cork goes into the hole as Daddy places the bottle of wine underneath, and David reaches up, two hands on that corking lever, and helps press the cork down into the bottle. I’m sure the Ontario Labour Board wouldn’t approve, and we’re probably breaking some safety regulation, having a three year old help with the wine corking, but neither David or I care much about that.

Regardless, David knows about making wine. So he was quite excited himself to run around the vineyard, and see “wine juice berries.” That’s what he called them, and what an appropriate name it is, don’t you agree?

David had an awesome time, running between the rows of grape vines, looking at them all. He even wanted to taste the grapes, but knew that we should ask permission first. He knew they weren’t his wine juice berries – and if we couldn’t find anyone to ask… well, we shouldn’t take any of the “berries” for ourselves. Amazing really, how children can have a sense of property rights when one teaches respect for their own property as well as others. So instead of eating the berries, we had fun exploring and looking at them all. And David had a lot of energy to expend as well!

That’s David, pointing to some “wine juice berries” high on the vine – I believe they are Pinot Noir grapes that we’re looking at. David ran up and down the rows of vines, exclaiming, “Look, Dad, purple ones!” And then when we came to some white grapes, the exclamation, “White wine juice berries, Daddy!” It was a wonderful adventure!

After taking a bunch of pictures of David, he wanted a picture of him and me. Good thing I have an older Nikon that swivels, and we sat together, me squatting in front of wine berry vines, while he sat on my knee, and we peered into the camera viewer to get a picture of both of us together. I was a bit .. rough looking, not having shaved for a few days, but David didn’t care. It was just awesome that the both of us were able to go on a wee adventure together, laugh, play, and look at “wine juice berries.”

I have no idea if David will ever enjoy my hobby of winemaking, and it doesn’t really matter. All I know is that it was wonderful for me to take him along to pick up my Baco, let him explore, and have a wonderful “adventure” together.

I hope you have as much fun as I do with your winemaking. Even if the wine doesn’t turn out as well as you had imagined, I hope that your memories are as good as mine, and the only thing that really matters, is spending time with that which you love.

Ah, it was a wonderful adventure, and we’ll be doing more of that as well.

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