Dry conditions have afforded us the opportunity to precision pick. We have seven different plantings of Chardonnay at Hardscrabble. They range in age (35 years to 4 years), soils, and clones. By harvesting and vinifying each block separately we are able to better understand the personality of each parcel.
Read MoreSo far this has been a very, very good September for harvesting grapes. Better yet this means really good wine. All we got from Dorian were a few stiff breezes. Harvest has been fabulously uneventful. Pick. Crush. Sleep. Repeat.
Read MorePatience rewards, but the wait has been agonizing. The Dorian threat didn’t help, but it looks like we are all clear. Our big push starts tomorrow at Avenius Vineyard to continue at Hardscrabble.
Read MoreIt is fitting that we should take a break from harvest and crush over Labor Day Weekend. The first small flurry of ripe grapes is “in the barn.” Now we wait. And watch Dorian’s track.
Read MoreChardonnay harvest at Avenius and Hardscrabble is still weeks away, but we are starting to zero in on strategies now.
Read MoreYesterday was Linden’s first day of crush. But we didn’t crush. We whole-cluster pressed. Perhaps some explanation is required.
Read MoreYesterday was our first day of harvest. Last week’s heat and this continuing dry spell accelerated ripening.
Read MoreAll the usual signs are pointing towards a very good vintage for 2019. The vines and clusters are healthy. Numbers (sugar and acid) are good. Very little rain. However I’m restraining my enthusiasm. At least for now.
Read MoreThe soil is dry and the vines are slowing down. Right on time. You have no idea how exciting this is to winegrowers.
Read MoreThe vineyard has now entered lag phase, which is the transition period from growth to ripening.
Read MoreTwo weeks ago both Hardscrabble and Avenius Vineyards experienced a moderate hail event. Yield losses are modest, around 10%. However, the lingering damage could adversely affect the quality of the vintage.
Read MoreLinden was lucky this week. Daily predictions of heavy rainfall from thunderstorms never materialized (with the exception of a 15-minute deluge on Monday). Soils are beginning to dry out.
Read MoreJune is our busiest and most demanding month in the vineyard. Vigorous vine growth is fueled by soil moisture, heat and abundant sun. This spring has provided us a hat trick on all three accounts.
Read MorePinch me. When was the last time we heard this mantra.
Bright, dark green vine leaves. Firm soil. Dry socks. These are a few of my favorite things. After the wettest vintage on record we are especially grateful.
Read MoreMay’s weather is predictably unpredictable. While this can inconvenience our morning wardrobe selection, the vines don’t seem to be much bothered by it. Everything looks pretty good at this stage.
Read MoreHardscrabble’s Chardonnay vines budded out on April 19. This is wonderfully normal (the thirty year average date is April 20). With farming and weather, average is as good as it gets.
Read MoreVine pruning is finished. Now the waiting game starts, although the vines are progressing quickly with higher than average temperatures. Young Chardonnay vines will begin bud break any day now. We’ll have a few weeks before the vines are at a stage were they need handwork attention, so now is a good time to graft our first vines for Linden’s Climate Change Trial Vineyard.
Read MoreWe just finished a very successful planting of 1,400 Cabernet Sauvignon vines. The last day was grueling as the best slope was saved for last. This particular slope consists of a very large pile of rocks. And not much else.
Read MorePlanting a new vineyard block gives great satisfaction and optimism. It will be years before there is something tangible produced, but the process itself is rewarding.
Read MoreSpring is slow this year. That is fine with us. It gives us more time to finish pruning, tying and trellis repair. The vines are only just starting to bleed. This is the winegrower term for when the sap flows after making a pruning cut. It is a good sign: the vines are coming to life.
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