Wine Grape Update
Most of our vineyards are on the cusp of veraison - getting ready to be ready, so to speak. They’re looking good…
Vineyard Falcon Kite
Once the grapes begin to ripen in the vineyard, we aren’t the only ones that get excited. The birds know it too, and they’re not waiting for a perfect combination of sugars and acidity to ferment into age-worthy wines. In those vineyards with the most issues with birds, we often net the fruit-baring area/zone of the vines. In this case, we also installed a falcon kite which soars above the vines with wind to ward off hungry beaks.
Weed Whacking
Benefits of weed whacking your property.
Weed whacking - cutting grass and weeds in places that are difficult to reach. Sometimes this means carefully going around the grape vines. Sometimes this means traversing a hillside.
Reasons for keeping your property clean:
It looks nice! There’s a pretty high standard in wine country and plenty of iconic shots with beautiful rows. A well-tended vineyard is obvious. The grape vines and the rows between are neat.
It’s safer for those around. A clean vineyard means less hiding places for critters - in particular rattlesnakes. Seriously. It’s safer for workers and for anyone living close to the vineyard. Check out this article (SF Gate) - rattlesnakes mated earlier this year and we can expect to see baby snakes in the next few weeks.
Fire safety. As we all know, we’ve been experiencing more intense fire seasons over the past few years. And this year our area is already on fire. We’ve have fires in Vacaville, Solano County; Petaluma in Sonoma County, and Contra Costa County. There is also an active fire in Yorkville in Mendocino County. We don’t want to add fuel to the fire - literally, so cutting back grasses is part of the prevention. It helps create your defensible space zone.
‘Tis the season. Here’s to keeping the vineyard clean! Some photos from weed whacking in the vineyard:
The Fog Rolled In
Note - this post was originally published 08.02.2015
The past few days the coastal fog has rolled in as far as Napa Valley and brought with it cool, dark mornings. A relief for us (and the grapes) from the heat wave and threat of wild fires.
On the Road in Napa
Note - this post was originally published 07.30.2015
Harvest has started and you can see grapes, bins, and tanks being transported up and down the valley. These last few days have been up over 100 degrees. Ripe.
Beautiful Grapes
Note - this post was originally published 07.27.205
Grapes are looking great. Now we just have to keep them that way until harvest and keep the birds from harvesting before we do. Russian River Valley Fruit.
Harvest on the Horizon
Note - this post was originally published 07.06.2015
The grapes are turning color! Which means that harvest is in sight. And we're rounding the home stretch of another vintage. These are Pinot Noir grapes. Once the grapes have gone through veraison (changing color) they'll start to develop sugars. It's these sugars that will later be turned into alcohol/wine. Salut!
Almost Harvest Time
Note - this post was originally published 8.14.2014
The grapes are ripening, trucks are moving bins and tanks up and down the Valley... harvest should start here soon - in the next week or two.
Some of the bounty to be picked, then crushed and fermented:
Nets
Note - this post was originally published 8.07.2014
The grapes have undergone veraison – the onset of ripening when the color of the berries (grapes) change color. Until now both the red and white varieties have been green. Literally.
In some of the vineyards we take care of, we’ve had to net the vines against local birds who have also noticed the ripening fruit.
Hot Air Balloons
Note - this post was originally published 08.05.2014
One of our favorite things about Napa Valley in the summer, is the chance to watch hot air balloons pass over head early in the morning. Beautiful colors gliding over the vineyards. One of these days we'll be the people in the balloon at dawn's early light, but for now we're the ones in the vineyard, looking up and enjoying the view.
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Note - this post was originally published 06.29.2014
Grapes! Our pruning efforts paid off. Here are some Russian River Pinot Noir grapes growing, growing, growing.
