Archive for the ‘Harvest’ Category

Silent Fall

One of our fall rituals has traditionally been battling songbirds, who arrive in the vineyard en masse in October to feast on our newly ripened grapes. But climate change and catastrophes in our environment have started to take their toll on our feathered friends.  This year there was no need for bird deterrents, large migrations of robins and cedar waxwings over our vineyard seem to have disappeared.

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What Makes a Vintage Fabulous?

Whenever a vintage like 2012 gives us beautiful fruit to vinify, discussion often revolves around “why?”. The truth lies in the vagaries of the weather. A tiny crop due to unusually warm spring weather resulted in wines of high intensity. Cool autumn nights preserved acidity while warm daytime temperatures resulted in grapes with perfect ripeness. While the intensity on these young wines makes them seem a bit “un-Pinot noir-like”, they will show their mettle as they age. Because the 2012 vintage is exceedingly small, don’t hesitate to invest in it now.

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Vintage 2012

Another vintage under my belt; I have lost track of how many, but in a world that lives on comparisons and analogies, I know that this is one is special.

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man vs bird

Julian and Danny learn to scare ravenous birds from the chardonnay at Abbey Ridge vineyard.

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2011: not a half acid vintage

The first bulletins from our cellar, as we press off red fermenters and watch (and smell) barrels of white juice begin to turn into wine, point to a possible stellar vintage. Ripe flavors and aromas are unmistakably present in the developing wines. Due to continuing fermentations in the cellar for the next several weeks, carbon dioxide levels in the winery are dangerously high. Therefore WE WILL NOT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON THANKSGIVING WEEKEND.

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