I’m spending a couple of days in Los Angeles in an urban winery, where my buddy Christina Rasmussen is doing vintage with Abe Schoener of the Scholium Project. Abe recently acquired this amazing facility, which – all going well with permits – will become the base for the Scholium Project. There’s a lot of space in this 19th Century building, but for now there’s just a small amount of winemaking taking place. Yesterday we processed some Chenin Blanc from Lodi using a tiny basket press – the rest of the equipment will arrive later.

First of all the grapes are foot-trodden in plastic bins, in order to make pressing easier. Then the barrels are filled with a mixture of the juice from the bins and the pressings. Working with a small manual press like this is quite time consuming, but it’s very hands on.

Christina is making her own wine here, too. It’s from a very old Palomino vineyard, and she pressed the grapes a couple of days ago. The wine is now beginning to ferment in two barrels and a demijohn.

I’m here today (Friday) and Saturday, but I’m not sure of the plans. I think there will be some vineyards to visit. It’s very exciting to see the early stages of this new winery. Here’s a video: