The 2010 vintage will probably be recalled as a wet one, given that showers occurred during each of the spring months and on into May. While total rainfall actually falls into the “normal” range, the frequency of the rains loomed large and created an annoyance by encouraging weed growth and rot so that growers had to respond with more vineyard floor and canopy management. The cool spring delayed flowering and … More…

What a vintage this has been! We finally began to harvest last week. After a rainy spring and one of the longest, coolest growing seasons in recent memory, our thermometers flirted with triple digit numbers for several days during the last week in August. Farther north in Sonoma Valley, temperatures soared as high as 110° … More…

So far, 2010 has been a very “cool” vintage – in at least two senses of that adjective. The relatively low temperatures are not at all bad. Mildew pressure may be greater, but the vines really like the air conditioning. Often we are “socked in” with morning fog, but it usually burns off before noon and the sun breaks through, providing ample energy for photosynthesis.

Because conditions were not ideal for … More…

Each spring I’m asked how the vintage is going so far. This year the questions have come more frequently as we have experienced what seems an endless series of rainstorms. In a nod to working people not involved in agriculture, it feels like every week has included a couple of rainy days, but skies have cleared for the weekends. The past week was no exception. Rain poured down on Thursday, … More…

In my last post, I wrote that working with the terroir of a vineyard site is like being handed the keys to a new BMW. How do you drive it?  A writer friend of mine reminded me that I hadn’t answered that question yet, so we sat down for a little question and answer session, which follows:

What is your definition of terroir?

Simply put, it’s all of the physical characteristics of … More…