Heat Wave
Last week's heat wave was crippling for the winegrowers, but the vines fared well. Rains from a few weeks ago provided adequate soil moisture, so the vines were not stressed. However we did see a bit of sunburn on some of the exposed clusters as a result of unrelenting solar intensity and temperatures climbing into the 90°s F. This is something never seen before here at Hardscrabble. I selected this mountain site in 1983 to take advantage of the cooling elevation. But that was then and this is now.
Read MoreGrowth Spurt
The vines are finally taking off. Late May rains combined with June sun and heat have provided ample fuel for rapid shoot growth. Vineyard activity is at peak. All hands on deck. Start times have shifted to 6:00am.
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