Journal / Field Notes | June 27, 2023
The two middle clusters have hens and chicks. The two outside clusters are developing normally.
Hens and Chicks
The vineyard has greened up after last week’s two inches of rain. The soil quickly absorbed the moisture and the ground remains firm. This quick shot was well timed and the vines are refreshed.
We are observing a first potential issue in Chardonnay. Some berries are not enlarging as they should, while others are normal. This is known as millerandage, but long French words are difficult to pronounce, so in the English-speaking world it is more commonly called hens and chicks. It is still too early to evaluate the full impact, but yields will be down. Small berries give lighter clusters and less juice. The good news is that with Chardonnay the affected berries usually all ripen synchronistically Quality can even be improved because of a more concentrated skin-to-juice ratio. Lots of flavors are in the skins. We may have to adjust our pressing techniques to take advantage of this.
We’ve never seen this level of hens and chicks in Hardscrabble. The question is why. Two possibilities are being considered. Nighttime temperatures were in the high 40s during Chardonnay flowering. These cold temperatures could have disrupted fertilization. Additionally we started leaf pulling earlier than usual this year: right at the start of flowering. Removing some leaves at this time could have reduced photosynthesis.
Fortunately only Chardonnay is affected.
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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal/Field Notes: June 27, 2023