Sunday, September 21, 2008

KatDoc's got a new name

It's WineBabe! (Not to be confused with Wine Girl, who blogs about wines from her home in Cincinnati.)


Now, when I'm not saving dogs and cats, I'm moonlighting as a member of the hospitality team at Harmony Hill Winery. Basically, I pour you a glass of wine or uncork your bottle, take your money, wipe up the counter, restock the supplies, and try not to screw up when I do a tasting.

the tasting room at Harmony Hill

I get a T-shirt, discounts on wine, and - oh, yeah - they're gonna PAY me. Can you believe it? And it is such a totally fun job - no trying to convince people to spend money they don't want to spend on medicines they are going to forget to give, no trying to convince people that good nutrition and wellness care are cheaper in the long run than treating disease, no saying, "I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Owner, your pet has an incurable illness." No, the wine business is all about drinking nice wines while relaxing in a pleasant environment and listening to music.

my "uniform" -
a Harmony Hill T-shirt

So far, customers, staff members and owners have all been very helpful and forgiving when I screw up the register or mispronounce the names of the grapes. I have learned to uncork and recork a bottle, to pour a taste or a glass, to pronounce words like traminette and chambourcin, and that Ohio liquor laws require you to pay for all alcohol - no free tastings. (Sorry!)


Saturday, I finally got to meet the Harmony Hill dogs - they moved around so much, I only got pictures of two of the four of them.


Bo
and Belle (Bubba and Sadie were MIA.)

After working two 4 hour shifts, I'm officially done for this season. Next weekend is the last that Harmony Hill will be opened to the general public - 5-9pm on Friday and 12-6pm on Saturday, with live music both days. Next year, the season starts Memorial Day weekend. I hope I will remember what I have learned so far. I'll let you know when I'm working, in case you are nearby and want WineBabe to serve you.

three Harmony Hill babes:
Donna on the left, owner Patti on the right,
and your blogger in the middle


The grapes are nearly ready - harvest starts soon. If you live in the area (Clermont, Brown, or Hamilton County) and want to help pick grapes, Bill is looking for volunteer labor. Contact him through the Harmony Hill website.


grapevines netted to protect the crop from greedy birds

Cheers!

7 comments:

NCmountainwoman said...

That sounds like a dream job to me. Imagine...you are going to learn all about wines and grapes as well as medicine, birds, and pottery. Jeez, is there no end to your genius?

donaldthebirder said...

Although I am not much on wine, I have been meaning to check this place out, since it is down the road so to speak from my house, but have no time. I could use a pt job that gets my mind off of my job as well ;-)

Dog_geek said...

Wowee - that sounds like a fun job. I don't know if I could be trusted with all those delicious wines, though. And of course, I love the pics of the winery dogs - Bo looks like a smiler, which I always fins charming.

Julie Zickefoose said...

Hello, Wine Babe!

Sweet! Wish they were going to be doing tastings while I'm over your way in November. Would love to check out their wine.
I have been slowly learning about wine over the past 8 years or so. What I have learned mostly is that I would like to drink it every night. Which I can't, and shouldn't, but I still would like to.
The other thing I have learned is that drinking the $25 and up bottles totally ruins me for the $6 bottles. And that seems to be forever. So stay away from the pricey stuff as long as you can.

Cute doggehs. I like the place already.

Wine Chimp

Kathi said...

Carolyn:
I am curious about many things, but genius - Nah. Call me a "Jack of all trades, master of none" and you will be closer to the mark.

Donald:
You ought to come by. As well as wines, Harmony Hill features local musicians, is a NWF certified habitat with nature trails and cavity nesting birds (including a Purple Martin colony) and on occasion, the Herp group does a demonstration. Cool stuff.

Dog_Geek:
Actually, Bo is more of a barker/howler. I happened to catch him just as he completed a round of vocalizations designed to level a small building.

Zick:
I am planning on bringing some HH wines to New River next spring, to share with The Farmhouse Flock. If I bring you a nice, dry red, will you stop by one evening and get boozy with us? (No wine for Chet; he is underage, and the designated driver.)

~K

Mary said...

Oh, I'd enjoy that job but I'm afraid I'd have a case of the hiccups too often :o) Love the dry whites too much. LOL!

Susan Gets Native said...

Dry wines. BLEEEEACK!

And call me crazy, but Belle looks like a nicer dog than Bo. Jeez!