October 29, 2009 - ChaddsFordLive.com

The Naked Winemaker

It’s almost harvest time, but don’t worry, I’ll be better
soon. Nothing ruins a good night’s sleep, makes my skin itch or aggravates my
allergies and generally gives me the jitters like the beginning of another new
harvest. Most people think this is when all the excitement happens at a winery,
but in some ways, it’s the most boring time of the year. Checking calibration
of the scale, re-cleaning the press and crusher-stemmer (considering how well
they are cleaned at the end of the season, where do all those grapes and seeds
come from?) pumping cleaning solutions through the huge hoses, re-writing the
vintage guidelines based on this year’s growing season, charting ripening of
the grapes in the lab, assembling picking crews, scheduling trucks,
reconsidering my relations with the wine gods, one last vacuuming of my office
for the next six weeks, acquisition of medication for the on-set of the annual
family yeast infections, etc., etc.

So is this going to be a good vintage or a bad one? Well, I
call this a winemaker’s vintage. This time the old bones have a distinct
advantage. Mother Nature has not been generous with her sun and heat this year
and we winemakers have to compensate. If we pick right after a rain the
delicious flavors might have been diluted. Consequently, considering the manyrains of the ’09 season, I will
be leaving grapes to hang as long as possible to garner maximum sugar and
flavors. In some cases that means instead of picking a field by hand over the
course of a week’s time, I will let things hang to ripen every possible hour.
Meanwhile, I’ll watch the weather and when I see the next storm coming down the
valley we’ll get out there with our fancy German mechanical grape harvester and
pick the whole field in about four hours. If we need to achieve more
concentrated flavors, we’ll bleed off 10 or 15 percent of the “free run” juice
to increase the ratio of skins to juice.

Identifying our best qualities and sustaining them is what
keeps me off the street and earning my wages. Any one can make good wine in a
great vintage. This kind of vintage is what separates the classified Bordeaux
wine growths and other respected properties from the rest of the bunch. Not
everyone is willing (and able) to make the painful cost-be-damned decisions
that favor quality over quantity, but I am. The 2009 harvest in the Brandywine
Valley may not turn out be a stellar vintage, but the wines I eventually decide
to bottle I guarantee will be good.

And I’m not alone in this philosophy. Of course, I’d love to
have you come and taste my ‘09s, but if you really want to get to know a
vintage, if you’re a locavore of the highest calling, you might want to keep
your tongue out for some of the wines grown west of here in Lancaster. Somewhat
less rain and a bit more sun and heat seems to have allowed the fruit up there
to ripen a bit sooner than here. But the vintage is not over yet, so we
winemakers and cellar dwellers will continue heroically, and give you a final
evaluation later. Now where’s that headache remedy…..

Eric

Late Night Notes:

Vintage: The year the grape is grown. If you like
light fresh fruity wines, this is like a use-up sticker. Drink those wines
within three years of the vintage. If you are a wine hobbiest and keep track of
vintages you’ll remember the good ones and even lay down the great ones.

Last good bottle: Just in case you haven’t heard of
Novy wines, I wanted to mention a delicious ’06 Syrah of theirs I had recently
with a spicy pork dish. Jumped right out of the glass with a big sweet juicy
fruit from nose to mouth. This California producer is consistently good at
California reds and I plan to learn to love what they do with Oregon Pinot
Noir.

About Eric Miller

The Naked Winemaker Read More »

Blogging Along the Brandywine

Along the Ford

red panda-cape may zoo — Blogging Along the Brandywine

I know, I know, I’m supposed to write about all things
Chadds Ford. But I’ve discovered something much too exciting to keep to myself.

My significant other and I spent last week at The Main Stay
Inn, an elegant bed and breakfast in old Cape May. We strolled along quiet
tree-lined streets of beautifully restored Victorian homes; walked the beaches
and nature trails of the conservancy at Cape May Point; climbed the 199 steps
of the light house; saw a George S. Kaufman play presented by the equity actors
of the East Lynne Theater Company and ate at fabulous fine-dining restaurants.

But that’s not it.

One morning he said “Lets go to the Cape May Zoo”

The Cape May Zoo? Uh…sure! In my mind I pictured a children’s
zoo with a shaggy burro, a llama and a goat.

But, lions, tigers and bears, oh my, was I wrong.

The Cape May Zoo, just south of Avalon at Exit 11 of the
Garden State Parkway, is one of only 218 facilities nationwide accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Several friends have since confided they no longer limit themselves to the 42-acre, land-locked, urban
Philadelphia Zoo, when 85 acres of woodlands, meadows and ponds in this
absolutely enchanting gem is only about an hour more away.

And it’s free!

The animal living areas are for the most part spacious
enclosures of sturdy mesh fencing material secured to giant frames of natural
rough hewn wood poles and are accessed by either shaded paths or an inviting
raised boardwalk system that takes you by habitats intricately placed
throughout the woods. Trees growing through the living areas create natural
places for the animals to hide, climb and feed.

In the morning we found the ocelot, a small spotted South
American jungle cat, curled up in a hollow piece of tree trunk, but by late
afternoon was pulling feathers out of a dead blackbird. The ocelot playfully
tossed the bird in the air as any housecat would do before commencing to feast
on it.

In the meadows and larger enclosures, animals share living
space with species with whom they naturally cohabitate in the wild.

We watched the water-loving South American capybara, a
pig-size creature related to the domestic Guinea pig, amble down a tree-lined
grassy slope to a large pond with ducks and turtles. Giraffes roamed part of
the 57-acre meadow known as the African Savannah with ostriches, while the
zebras frolicked with the rare Nigerian Bongo.

And two years ago, thirteen Chilean flamingoes came in from
Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.

The idyllic access allows you a much closer view of the
animals than in a traditional zoo. I enjoyed watching the diminutive red panda,
almost close enough to reach out and touch, while it munched on some bamboo
shoots and stared back at me.

Even the magnificent Siberian tiger in his huge park-like
enclosure, complete with waterfall and pond, ventured close enough so I could
see every hair on his magnificent side.

In addition to the zoo acreage, the park boasts over 115
more wooded acres for picnicking, hiking and recreation.

The Cape May Zoo easily stands up to any of the big-city
zoos in our country, and you can be sure I will be making a return visit very
soon!

See you down the shore.

About Sally Denk Hoey

Sally Denk Hoey, is a Gemini - one part music and one part history. She holds a masters degree cum laude from the School of Music at West Chester University. She taught 14 years in both public and private school. Her CD "Bard of the Brandywine" was critically received during her almost 30 years as a folk singer. She currently cantors masses at St Agnes Church in West Chester where she also performs with the select Motet Choir. A recognized historian, Sally serves as a judge-captain for the south-east Pennsylvania regionals of the National History Day Competition. She has served as president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates as well as the Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford where she now curates the violin collection. Sally re-enacted with the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment for 19 years where she interpreted the role of a campfollower at encampments in Valley Forge, Williamsburg, Va., Monmouth, N.J. and Lexington and Concord, Mass. Sally is married to her college classmate, Thomas Hoey, otherwise known as "Mr. Sousa.”

Blogging Along the Brandywine Read More »

UPDATE: Reward for dog killer now at $30,000

Local News

Update:The rward for information leading to tha arrest and conviction of the person responsible for shooting two dogs is now $30,000. End of update.

The Chester County SPCA is continuing its investigation into
two dogs found shot to death, then laid out tail-to-tail along the railroad
tracks near Brintons Bridge Road in Pennsbury Township. A woman walking her own
dog 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon discovered the bodies.

A reward of $30,000 is being offered for information leading
to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Included in
the reward money is $2,500 from
the Humane Society of the United States and $500 from WMGK radio personality
John DeBella. The rest of the money comes from the general public, according to
a press release from the SPCA.

But more reward help is being offered. Victoria Wyeth is
looking to raise at least an additional $1,000 to add to the reward. Wyeth–the
granddaughter of the late Andrew Wyeth– said she would hold a private party or
tour to raise cash to increase the reward money.

“I can’t believe this happened in a place like [the] Chadds
Ford [area,]” Wyeth said. “It’s such a close-knit community with such animal lovers…
This is just disgusting that someone would actually do this.

“What I’ve offered is that I will go to someone’s house,
they throw a cocktail party and I show up with a bunch of slides and present a
giant slide show on the work of my family,” she said.

She added that she’s also looking to get one of the
restaurants involved to cater the event.

Wyeth, who has a degree in clinical psychology, said who
ever killed the dogs is beyond sick.

“The people of Chadds Ford have no excuse not to contribute
to this. This is horrible that this has happened, this is exactly where the community
needs to bond together to find this horrible [person.]”

Wyeth likened the unknown perpetrator to a sociopath,
someone filled with extreme hatred, hatred of people and animals.

“I’m not going to say this person is mentally ill. I think
sometimes people assume that because something is so horrific that the person
has to be mentally ill. Instead of just saying there are some horrible, nasty,
sadistic people out there,” Wyeth said. “Whoever did this is truly sadistic.”

The dogs–one a purebred German shorthaired pointer named
Emma, the other a German shorthaired pointer mix named Luna–belonged to a
family living on Wawaset Road in Pocopson Township who last saw the dogs
Saturday afternoon. The owner of the dogs reported them missing to the SPCA
Sunday morning.

Rich Britton, a spokesman for the SPCA, said investigators
are looking into the possibility that it was some sort of execution. He called
it execution style because of preliminary findings.

“They seemed to be shot in the head and we’re having a
necropsy performed so we’ll have more specifics on that. But it’s very hard to
do that any other way, to shoot from a distance. It appears to have been done
at close range,” Britton said.

He said investigators are looking into possible meanings of
how the dogs were laid out.

“It’s extremely odd to say the least,” he said.

Britton said the state police had
been contacted. He added that the penalty for the crime would be up to two years
in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Britton said there are no suspects yet. He’s asking the
public to offer any information pertaining to the investigation. Anyone with
information is asked to call the SPCA at 610-692-6113, ext. 213.

A vehicle, believed to be a maroon Ford F150 pickup truck
was seen in the area Sunday.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

UPDATE: Reward for dog killer now at $30,000 Read More »

Pumpkin carve brings out the crowds

Local News

carve 25 — Pumpkin carve brings out the crowds

Sixty-six pumpkins met their
ultimate artistic fate at the hands of 66 carvers last Thursday night during
the annual Great Pumpkin Carve, a fund-raiser for the Chadds Ford Historical
Society. An estimated 6,000 people watched the transformation of gourd to
artwork during a balmy October evening.

Perennial carver Chuck Feld was
on hand, as he has been since the beginning of the carve, and with his
signature call of “Pumpkin guts,” as he tossed seeds and fiber into the air,
reminding people to always wear a hat at the carve.

Feld earned an honorable mention
for an owl he carved. Christine Belton won best Overall for her Greek
Parthenon.

Other winners were: Mark Rutt,
People’s Choice Award and Best Carving; Kristie Primus for Most Original; Scott
DiIrio; for Most Halloween and Kelly Watson for Best use of Pumpkin.

As is every year, the big
winners were the Chadds Ford Historical Society for whom the Carve is one of
the two biggest fund-raisers of the year and the thousands of people who flock
to the event every year, to marvel at the creations carved from pumpkins
weighing hundreds of pounds.

The carve dates back to the
1970s when Andy and Jamie Wyeth, along with Jimmy Lynch would carve pumpkins on
the porch of the Chadds Ford Inn.

The event grew to a point where
it had to move because, as one former employee of the Historical Society said,
“The pumpkins got in the way of the drunks.”

From the porch of the inn the
carve went to the lawn of the Chadds Ford Gallery, then the parking lot of Hank’s,
then the Brandywine River Museum before the society began hosting the event in
1992.

About Rich Schwartzman

Pumpkin carve brings out the crowds Read More »

Anger in perspective

Opinion

The killing of the two dogs found in Pennsbury Township last weekend has raised the emotional fury of many. In less than a week, contributions for a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer or killers reached $15,000.

Most of the money has come form private donations including $500 from WMGK radio personality John DeBella and then Chadds Ford’s Victoria Wyeth, granddaughter of the late artist Andrew Wyeth sought increase the current level by a minimum of $1,000 more by offering a tour of the Brandywine River Museum or offering a slide show of her family’s art legacy at a private home.

Ms. Wyeth, like so many others (including us at ChaddsFordLive,) is absolutely outraged at the heinous act of cruelty. As reported, the two dogs, from a farm in Pocopson Township, were both found shot in the head and laid out tail-to-tail along the railroad tracks near Brinton’s Bridge Road in Pennsbury Township.

Poetic justice would demand the individual, or individuals who did this to be thrown to a pack of hungry wolves, literally. But most of us are beyond that and know–or should know– that while such an act is poetic, it is also improper and just as wrong.

Most of us are outraged at a senseless act of cruelty to one of mankind’s closest and dearest animal companions. Dogs give us unconditional love in exchange for food, water, a walk outside and a good belly rub. Not a bad trade off, with mankind getting the better end of the bargain.

We agree with Ms. Wyeth that this “horrible person” needs to be found and put away.

But while so many of us can feel that way, why can’t we take that same level of compassion and extend that to our fellow humans? No, we don’t need to rub each other’s bellies, but we should show basic human respect toward one another.

Mothers should not be slapping each other around at school bus stops because one doesn’t like the fact that the other’s vehicle is in the way. Fathers shouldn’t beat each other up over the outcome of their kids’ soccer game. And nations shouldn’t invade other nations. No one, no individual or nation has the right to initiate an act of force.

Yes, whoever killed the dogs deserves some level of punishment. Our sense of outrage demands such. But those of us who abhor the act must also learn to abhor those other acts that hurt people. And push come to shove, we must protect people first and foremost.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Anger in perspective Read More »

Police log for Oct. 29

Police

Chadds Ford residents Angela Gillespie, 42, and Katie Loyer,
37, will be cited for harassment following an incident at Webb and Atwater
roads, a state police press release said. According to the report, the two got
into a verbal argument over parking at their children’s bus stop. The argument
led to pushing and shoving. The incident occurred at 4:15 p.m. on Oct. 27.

• An unidentified 53-yar-old man from Chadds Ford was accused
with DUI after being involved in a one-car accident on Shavertown Road in
Concord Township at 7:40 p.m. on Oct. 25.

• A 45-year-old from West Chester was cited for DUI after
being stopped at Route 202 and Dilworthtown Road in Chadds Ford Township
shortly before 1 a.m. on Oct. 22.
Pennsylvania State Police report Stephen Vance Compton was stopped for
multiple traffic violation when he was found to be driving under the influence.

• A man accused of causing a five-vehicle accident and then
fleeing the scene is also accused of assaulting a passing motorist who
followed, and caught up to, the suspect, a police report said. The suspect is
identified in the report as Angel Miguel Kuilan, 37, of Wilmington. According
to the report, Kuilan caused the accident on Route 1 near Route 202 in Concord
Township about 11:14 p.m. on Oct. 17. Police said he fled the scene, but when
confronted by a passer motorist, assaulted the motorist by hitting him in the
groin. Kuilan was arrested two days later, the report said.

A separate report said four cars were stopped at the traffic
light when Kuilan–not identified in this report–hit the rearmost vehicle
causing a chain reaction accident. He fled on foot, the report said.

• A home on Lea Drive in Chadds Ford Township was
burglarized sometime between Oct. 12 and Oct. 20, according to a police report.
The report said the unknown suspect gained entry by breaking a window leading
to the basement. Numerous items were stolen, police said.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Police log for Oct. 29 Read More »