Red Crescendo
The 2019 harvest has been relaxed and evenly paced. Until now. Continued dry, warm conditions have quickly spiked ripening in Cabernet Sauvignon. Seemingly overnight the grapes transitioned from “almost ready” to “pick now!”
Read MorePicking Decisions
The continuation of warm, dry conditions have given us the opportunity to precision pick. Instead of massive hectic harvest days, we have a relaxed approach.
Read MoreInspired by Others
At harvest time I drink a lot of good wine. Not to drown sorrows (2018) nor to celebrate (2019), but to learn. As the season unfolds I look to my colleagues for inspiration. These are other winegrowers, mostly in Europe where the vintages can also vary considerably. The inspiration is their wine.
Read MoreBack at it
This glorious dry weather brings us an extra benefit: down time. No rush to beat a rain. A four-day pause from harvest is rare and special as we are afforded an opportunity to get caught up with cellar work and attend to some vineyard fine-tuning.
Read MoreChardonnay Grapes
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 MoreIn the Groove
So 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
Patience 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 MorePause
It 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 MoreLooking Ahead
Chardonnay harvest at Avenius and Hardscrabble is still weeks away, but we are starting to zero in on strategies now.
Read MorePressing Matters
Yesterday was Linden’s first day of crush. But we didn’t crush. We whole-cluster pressed. Perhaps some explanation is required.
Read MoreSuddenly It Started
Yesterday was our first day of harvest. Last week’s heat and this continuing dry spell accelerated ripening.
Read MoreCautiously Optimistic
All 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 MoreA Good Transition
The soil is dry and the vines are slowing down. Right on time. You have no idea how exciting this is to winegrowers.
Read MoreLag Phase
The vineyard has now entered lag phase, which is the transition period from growth to ripening.
Read MoreHail no!
Two 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 MoreLucky Break
Linden 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 MoreCanopy Work
June 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 MoreDry, Warm, and Sunny
Pinch 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 MoreGrowth Spurt
May’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 MoreLike Clockwork
Hardscrabble’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.
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