Casa Parisi (9 page)

"If you need help I don't mind doing physical work."

"I'd rather you concentrate on making the wines. I'll be happy if you come out here with me once in a while to monitor the grapes."

"I have to do that. I need to know the grapes, see them, touch them, smell them and care about them. If I don't, I can't turn them into wine." Juliet wondered if Luke would understand what she was saying. "Does that sound crazy?"

"No. I get that, I really do. Come out and visit them anytime you want to."

Juliet glanced up at him. "Do you have any riesling grapes?"

"Acres of them," he said. "There were a few acres of mature riesling vines here to begin with but I planted more the first spring we were here. Those new vines should be producing clusters this coming fall. And while we're on the subject, I have some riesling wine aging in the cellars that should be bottled."

"I'll take care of that as soon as I can," Juliet said. She loved making wines from riesling grapes. "Riesling grapes have such refined structure and loads of delicate floral and fruity flavors. Most of all, I love the mineral qualities they impart. It reminds me of fresh water flowing from a mountain stream."

"I'd like to have several rieslings in our inventory, including a sparkling one."

"You will," Juliet said. "What about gewürztraminer? Do you have any?"

"Plenty of them. They're down the road."

"That's another favorite grape of mine," Juliet said.

"We could use a really good gewürztraminer," Luke said, matterof-factly. "The first year, I replaced the majority of our native grape varieties with French-American hybrids and a few European varieties. You'll have plenty to work with this year."

"It sounds as if you've been doing all the right things. If you want to be one of the top wineries you have to have good red wines and a variety of premium wines that have vintage years. You obviously know that."

"I couldn't agree more. Were you at the conference last July in Rochester where the Cornell labs introduced the new red varieties?"

Juliet indicated that she had been there.

"I planted the Noiret and the Corot Noir grape varieties. They're not bearing fruit yet, but we should have good grapes in a couple of years."

"I'm glad to hear that. We ought to be growing the grape varieties developed for this climate. Maybe someday, if we make good quality wines from them, the winemakers in other parts of the world will be saying that the Finger Lakes are known for their superior Noirets or Corot Noirs. That would set us apart."

"I think we think alike, you and I, at least when it comes to making wine," Luke said. "I've always wondered why the wineries are so intent on copying California and Europe when we would be better served perfecting our own style of wines."

The more Juliet and Luke talked the more she longed to get into the cellars and into that shiny new lab so she could do what she loved to do. For now, she'd have no choice but to finish the wines Luke had already started, but after the harvest she'd be in charge of making the wines from start to finish.

Luke interrupted her thoughts and what he had to say made her even more eager to get to the cellars. "That's not all. We've got cabernet franc, chelois, lambrusco, Baco noir, and quite a few other red varieties. I've got wines made from all of them aging in the cellars. You can start working with them as soon as you're ready."

They walked between the vines as Luke reviewed his vineyard maintenance routines. Although it was in keeping with what most of the wineries did, she listened intently. It was clear that he knew what he was doing and that he cared about the quality of his work. In fact, she would have managed the vineyards in exactly the same way if they had been hers.

Luke had just finished describing a new pruning technique when he paused to glance at his watch. "It's getting late. Why don't we head back?"

"I want to say something, Luke."

"What is it?"

"I won't let you and your sister down."

"I'm sure you won't. I knew that when I met you." Luke began walking back to the truck. "When we get back, you can go home early if you'd like."

"I'd prefer to look around a little before I leave for the day. I want to spend some time getting familiar with your wines."

"Do whatever you want. I won't be going home for another hour or two. Just let me know if you have any questions."

ONCE INSIDE THE barn, Juliet noticed that Lucia's office door was partially open. Although her intuition warned her not to disturb Lucia unless invited, she chose to ignore it. To her, it seemed worse that Lucia might think she had failed to say hello to her. After some silent deliberation, she approached the doorway and knocked on the wooden frame. "Good afternoon."

"Hello, Juliet and welcome." Lucia didn't glance up from the paper she was writing on. "Everything all right so far? Has Luke been showing you around?"

"Everything's fine and he has." Juliet told her how she and Luke had spent the day and waited through the extended silence that ensued. It went on to the point of discomfort and she didn't know whether to continue standing there or whether to quietly disappear. Was that all the response she was going to get? Had she been summarily dismissed?

Lucia was a strong, successful woman and yet, the first day Juliet had met her, she'd sensed something seething behind her eyes, kept securely under wraps beneath her voice. It scared Juliet, made her feel cautious. Lucia had sharp edges and Juliet did not doubt for a moment that they could cut deep
.
She felt uneasy in her presence, off balance, and at the same time drawn to her in a perplexing way.

During her interview, Juliet had been deeply touched by Lucia. It had started when Lucia told her who Devin was. Juliet had noticed a slight quivering in Lucia's voice. All the life had drained from her face the instant she had spoken Devin's name and Juliet saw tears forming in her eyes. Perhaps it was compassion that drew her to Lucia or perhaps a combination of compassion, curiosity and innocent fascination.

"Luke and I talked about making a sparkling riesling. He said you would like that because you were fond of the Italian sparkling wines."

"He's right, I would." Lucia glanced up briefly before her attention went back to the papers on her desk. "We're going to be meeting on a regular basis for the sole purpose of discussing any ideas you and Luke want to tell me about."

No mistaking that dismissal, Juliet thought. She was about to slip through the door when Lucia spoke again as if there hadn't been any break in the conversation.

"I bought a new laptop for you and a printer for the lab. And I got you one of those Mobile Broadband gizmos so you can go on the internet no matter where you are. I'll pay the monthly fee of course. You'll have it all in a day or two."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Lucia kept her eyes down. "We'll get you set up with an e-mail account and I'll forward anything of interest that comes my way. I'd appreciate it if you'd do the same for me."

"I get quite a few newsletters and a lot of information about winemaking techniques that you might not get. I'd be happy to forward it to you."

"You do that."

Juliet endured another uncomfortable period of silence.

"Before I forget," Lucia said at last. "Let me know if you want subscriptions to any of the professional journals and I'll pay for them for you."

"Thank you. I will."

Lucia looked up from what she was doing, her face unreadable. "Is there anything else? If not, I've got a lot of work to do."

"No, nothing else. Just wanted to say hello."

"Well, you've done that." Lucia flashed a thin smile that barely moved her mouth. "See you tomorrow."

Without another word, Juliet turned and walked out. On her way to the wine sales room, she heard the door to Lucia's office close
.
The Lucia she had just encountered was nothing like the one she'd met a mere two weeks ago. This one was as cold as the biting winds of January.

"It's going to be chilly around here," Juliet mumbled. That pronouncement made her feel sad. For some reason she had hoped that she and the Parisis would become close, like one big happy family, at least at work. Now the folly of that hope had been driven home. Lucia was her boss and she had just reminded her of that in no uncertain terms.

Over the years, Juliet had learned certain techniques for getting along with difficult people. Steering clear of her new boss wouldn't be a practical option given the situation, but she would do what she could to minimize the potential for conflict between them. She would keep a low profile, mind her own business, stay out of Lucia's way, and keep her nose pressed firmly against the grindstone.

She could do that.

JULIET FELT AS though someone had pushed the fast forward button as the next several weeks tore by with lightning speed. Today was Wednesday, three weeks and one day after her first day on the job at Casa Parisi Vineyards. Her priority, once she and Luke finished the most intensive part of her orientation, had been to process the wines remaining in the cellars. She labored long and hard every day, blending, stabilizing and tasting wines for bottling. Nothing interfered with that task save for an occasional visit to the vineyards with Luke or a planning meeting with him and Lucia.

First she bottled a cabernet franc she felt had been aged the proper length of time and then she bottled two more red wines in order to quickly increase their inventory of reds. One had been a full-bodied Baco noir that Luke had aged in French oak puncheons and the other a red table wine Juliet created by blending two red wines that were stored in the cellars. With Lucia's approval, they named the new blend, Simply Foxy. Within the next week, she intended to bottle another chardonnay and then two blended whites she'd been working on in the lab.

In the planning meetings with the Parisis, Lucia was all-business and anytime Juliet talked to her she was polite and civil, nothing more, nothing less. The cutting edges and anger scorched fringes of Lucia's demeanor didn't seem to be interfering with anyone's ability to get things done although it did make Juliet feel ill at ease. Her relationship with Luke was in direct contrast to the one she had with Lucia, but since it was something she could not control, she tried not to dwell on it.

Today, Juliet had worked especially hard and after a late lunch, she felt like taking a walk. Leaving the lab and the pervasive smell of fermenting grapes behind her, she hiked down the road toward Lucia's cottage under the assumption that Lucia would not be at home. Maybe she'd sit on Lucia's deck for an hour or so and let the rippling water soothe her senses.

As she walked to the back of the cottage, she saw Lucia sitting on the edge of the dock. Unsure of what to do, she stood still. Should she go back before Lucia spotted her or should she make her presence known? Her chance to flee wouldn't last long, but she found it impossible to leave. The slump of Lucia's back and the way she held her cheek in her hand made Juliet want to go to her.

"Don't be alarmed, it's only me," Juliet said as she approached. "Do you mind if I join you for a few minutes?"

Lucia seemed to have to think about it. "I guess it's all right." Her features relaxed and she patted the empty space next to her. "Have a seat."

Juliet lowered herself onto the deck next to Lucia. "Luke told me where you lived. I hope you don't mind me coming down here."

"I don't mind." Lucia's eyes were fixed on the lake.

"It's the first sunny day we've had all week," Juliet remarked.

"I know. We complain if it doesn't rain and then after it does for two or three days we're sick of it. I came down to have some lunch and ended up out here. The sound of the water relaxes me."

"I love being near the water." This small talk seemed shallow to Juliet even though she was glad to talk to Lucia about something other than business. It was a start.

"Did you eat lunch?" Lucia asked.

"I ate before I came down here."

Lucia's eyes finally found Juliet's and she held on to them briefly. "Don't you think the Finger Lakes are unique?"

"No one's ever asked me that," Juliet said. "I suppose they are."

"Do you know why they're called the Finger Lakes?"

"They look like fingers on the map?" That was the obvious answer, the only one Juliet had ever heard. What could Lucia possibly have to add?

"That's what most people would say, of course, but I read an even better explanation. I read that the Iroquois Indians believed the Finger Lakes were the imprint of the Great Spirit's hand upon their land."

Juliet took a moment to savor the image Lucia had created in her mind. "That's an interesting and beautiful explanation, much better than mine."

Lucia stared into Juliet's eyes, her soft smile sad. "It is beautiful, isn't it? Can't you picture the Great Spirit bringing his huge hand down and pressing it into the earth?"

Juliet smiled back, wondering what had made this woman so sad.

"What brings you down to my dock? Does Luke need me?"

"No, I just wanted to get some fresh air. I assumed you'd be in your office working or I would never have intruded upon your privacy."

"Don't worry about it. I think I'm suffering from an overdose of privacy." Lucia's eyes closed for a moment as she shook her head. "The truth is, most of the time I can't stand to be with anyone, not even myself." She opened her eyes and gazed at the water below her feet. "I shouldn't have told you that."

Without thinking, Juliet said, "I'm sorry."

Lucia's glance became a glare. "Sorry for me?"

"I only meant it was sad, that's all."

"Don't bother your pretty little head over it. It's not your problem."

"You're right. It's just that--" Juliet didn't complete her thought because Lucia had already retreated into her crust of ice. Why had Lucia revealed something that personal if she didn't want her to respond? Juliet made a mental note to keep her mouth shut the next time Lucia shared anything of that nature.