Harvest Update, its been HOT!!!!

With the scorching string of 100+ degree weather we've had lately, we've been checking out the vineyards alot these days. Picture to the left shows signs of sunburn on some clusters. (thanks to our friends @ Crushpad for sending us some of these pics ).

From the Las Madres Vineyard in Carneros in Sonoma to Broken Leg in Anderson Valley and south to Alta Mesa in Cuyama Valley and clear west to White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara - conditions appear on track for a healthy albeit late harvest this year. In cooler climate vineyards like Broken Leg up in Mendocino County, we open up the canopy & aggressively leaf pull & remove lateral shoots from the vines. This ensures air flow through the grapes. In warmer sites like Alta Mesa in Cuyama Valley, we manage with more leaves around the fruit to protect from too much sun & sunburn. Though we will lose some clusters due to sunburn (like above), remaining clusters will ripen nicely with soft tannins.

Its a gamble we make - how much canopy coverage to provide. More coverage, more leaf protects the grapes from sunburn; but capturing sunlight promotes photosynthesis which sustains the vines, ahhh.... all that high school biology comes into play. But across the board, berries are ripening. And the thick skins on our fruit should be perfect for delicious tasting Syrah, Viognier & Mourvedre juice!

We'll be heading north to Sonoma in a week to check out Catie's Corner vineyard in Russian River Valley & the Las Madres Vineyard in Carneros to check out our Syrah rows. Can't wait to share more pics & stories with you after our trip. Its a treat for us to visit with the artisan farmers who toil the soil, in my book they're the true artists in winemaking.

Q's, comments - please email me at bettina@sansakana.com

Thanks for reading, Bettina

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