A Dry July Means Small Berries
It has been over three weeks since we have seen a measurable rain. Hit or miss thunderstorms have missed Linden so far.
Read MoreMowing, Wine, and Climate Change
It is a common practice to grow grass between the vineyard rows. Mowing decisions are not based on aesthetics, but on the vineyard ecosystem.
Read MoreRoses at the ends of vineyard rows
In the mid-1800s horticulturalists started exchanging exotic plant species across the Atlantic.
Read MoreHens and Chicks
We are observing a first potential issue in Chardonnay. Some berries are not enlarging as they should, while others are normal
Read MoreDry Weather
The vines are green and growing, but the grass and cover crops are looking thirsty.
Read MoreEasy Spring
What a fabulous start to vintage 2023. Cool and very dry conditions have tempered vine growth to a very manageable pace.
Read MoreThe Lanternfly has arrived at Hardscrabble Vineyard
While working the vines we discovered these Spotted Lanternfly nymphs. The nymphs don’t do any damage to the vines. But the adults will suck sap from the succulent vine shoots. We expect to see them later this summer.
Read MoreBlooms
The first blooms have appeared in Chardonnay. The timing seems about average. Once 50% of the flowers have opened the date will be recorded and we can compare this year’s progress to past vintages. At this writing it is raining.
Read MoreFlush of Green
The transition from shoot thinning to shoot positioning and tying has begun. Our marathon of canopy management will continue until early July.
Read MoreShoot Thinning: Green Work Begins
Wine is made in the vineyard. So what does that really mean?
Read MoreUnsettled Spring
Atypical is typical. Temperature swings of 50°F and drought to flash floods within a time span of a week is normal. This weather may inconvenience wardrobe selection, but winegrowers are much more focused on how the vines react. So far, they are taking things in stride.
Read MoreClimate Trial Plantings
Today we are planting additional vines in Hardscrabble’s Climate Change Trial Vineyard. This will bring our total up to about two dozen different varieties.
Read MoreChardonnay Bud Break April 12, 2023
Unsurprisingly this warm weather has accelerated bud break. The 2023 vintage has precociously begun.
Read MoreWeather or Not
Last week’s summer was abruptly interrupted. For most of us the extremes are conversational or inconvenient. For farmers they can be disastrous. Winegrowers are farmers. The two weather events we worry most about are frost and hail. Both have been on the increase. In both cases, timing and severity can make or break the bounty of a vintage.
Read MoreSpring Peepers
Yesterday’s warm temperatures finally triggered the peeps of spring. Peepers are small frogs that live in the mud of wetlands and ponds. When the soil temperature warms enough they emerge from hibernation. They are appropriately called chorus frogs as group peeps can be wonderfully melodic and loud.
Read MoreNot Too Worried Yet
Fluctuating warm/cold days in February and March are typical. Climate change has made the swings more extreme. Winegrowers react with both joy and panic.
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