Shaping Up

Vintage 2022 is starting to take shape. Two aspects stand out: a potentially abundant crop and vigorous vine growth. 

Conditions during bloom were not perfect, but certainly more than adequate as each cluster has ample berries. More striking is the number of clusters per shoot. Normally we anticipate one or two clusters per shoot, but this year the shoots have two or three. Looks like we will be very busy in July with cluster removal. We’ll most likely need to reduce the crop. Otherwise the wines will lack concentration.

The copious rains of May gave the vine roots access to unlimited water. Combined with a few June heat waves, this has been the perfect storm for exuberant shoot growth. We are having trouble keeping up, but the ground is now beginning to dry which should slow vine growth. Our days are spent tying wayward shoots to the trellis wires, hand removing leaves in the cluster zone, and hedging tall shoots before they fall back down into the canopy.

Finally, warm temperatures promote a quick, uniform bloom and pollination. This bodes well for quality, especially for red wine grapes as synchronistic ripening is ideal. If all the grapes in the same cluster are at the same stage of development there is a better chance of uniformity in ripening. Red wines are made by fermenting the juice on the skins and the seeds which in turn release tannins. Tannins are the backbone of quality in red wines. If they are uniformly ripe, the wines will have less “green,” astringent finishes.

So far, the forecast looks favorable for vintage 2022.

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal: June 21, 2022