2006 Harvest Update

Summer's here. If you're in the Bay Area, you know. We've certainly had our share of HOT SUMMER DAYS & NIGHTS.

Set has occurred in most vineyards. Some are lagging slightly due to the late start this year with the long rains we had in the Spring. But for the most part, we are monitoring bloom & cluster growth and prepare for our heavy pruning stage. We prune aggressively in all of our vineyards. Seems illogical (at least from our accountant's point of view) but the less fruit we yield per acre the better the wine. Concentrated fruit per vine yields much more flavorful & distinctive wines. Its what we like to drink and so its what we strive for in our vineyard management practices.

Every vineyard's different though and thats the beauty of it all. Wines can vary so much, even within blocks of the same vineyard due to different microclimates, soil composition and fruit set.
Here's what's happening at some of our Vineyard sites...

Up in Mendocino, near town of Philo @ the Broken Leg Vineyard in Anderson Valley, this very cool climate vineyard benefits from cool foggy mornings which clears in the mid day yielding long hot afternoons then cooling off in the dusk for temperate evening conditions which our Broken Leg Viognier grapes love.

In Carneros @ the Las Madres Vineyard in Sonoma Valley, mornings start cool due to the San Pedro Bay effects then as the sun rises, temperature soars for long growing hours which clone 99 and clone 374 Syrah thrive on.

If in Santa Barbara @ the White Hawk Vineyard, days are hot and remain hot yielding ripe rich fruit that will bear distinctive cherry jam notes in the Syrah wines from this famed & special vineyard.

Or if in Cuyama Valley @ the Alta Mesa Vineyard, mornings are cool because of the 3200' elevation but temperatures can rise to the 100's by mid afternoon. The San Sakana acre block of Mourvedre clones thrive in this combination.

But before we know it, it'll be September and harvest prep and frenzy begins!

More about that later....

Q's, comments - please let me know.

Bettina