When I arrived at Calico Skies Vinyard and Winery this past Saturday I was amazed. The facility is just east of Canton, South Dakota across the Big Sioux River and up the hill to the south. Their location is beautiful and will be even more so over the next few days when the fall season hits and really gets the trees changing color.

A tour of the facility is awesome in itself, but it's not until you look under the hood that you start to see how wine and authentic wood fire pizza is made that you truly appreciate what you consume on a regular basis.

The vines were being harvested when I walked out the back door. The protective netting was down on two rows of vines and workers, mostly family friends and local lovers of the outdoors and wine were working. Will said the harvest itself was around half over and there was a lot of work yet to do!

The fruit was brought into the main facility in a large tub. After we we finished the remote broadcast Will asked if I wanted to watch the DE-vining process. I said, you bet!

Any time you see something for the first time it's pretty neat. The machine worked great taking the fresh grapes off the vine and shot them through a tube into a separate tub. Will said that's where they'll stay for about a week, along with ingredients that make grapes into wine.

I could write a series of stories about the experience, but It would be best to tell you and friends to simply stop out to Calico Skies Vineyard and Winery. I would wager a bet that if you asked if you could be part of the harvest they would welcome your help. In the end, a tour through Calico Skies reminds you how simple yet difficult it is to create a fine wine. It's not until you tour a facility like this that you actually 'connect' a little more with what you're consuming. And by the way, it's very good!

Please share this story with your friends who enjoy a nice glass of wine from time to time and a delicious wood fired pizza. See you at Calico Skies Vineyard and Winery!

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