Casey Hartlip wrote: ↑August 12th, 2019, 6:35 am
Thunder and lightning Friday night along with a tenth of an inch of rain. I was hunting all weekend. Nice to take my mind off of work. Hunting thread over on Asylum.
Pinot coloring up Fast. Sparkling folks are going to want samples soon I'm sure. Still holding to September 6 or so start date.
By coastal California standards, it was a good sized lightning storm Friday evening. Quite a number of strikes on the coastal range in northern Sonoma and Mendo, and inland around Ukiah. The spotter planes and helicopters were busy Saturday morning with a small blaze above Sea Ranch and one close to Elk. Fortunately they were quickly extinguished.
We are firmly into a heat wave. 100 degrees in the afternoon, and staying warm into the evenings. Lots of irrigating going on - I always like to do it ahead of the actual heat, so mine was done by Monday.
The color is at perhaps 80-90% at this point.
Merrill EMH Vineyards - Home of the Black Cat
email:Merrill@EMHVineyards.com
My three Chard samples were between 13.0 and 13.5 which puts us about 16 days out for 19 brix. Ramping up the anxiety level just a touch. This big moon the last night or so has been messing with my sleep patterns but I'm happy to report I'm not having dreams about harvest quite yet, which is great.
Once harvest starts I'll be sleeping in the guest room of our house as I'm up and down all night. I also get up at 3:30 am to get to work by 5:15. This will be the first harvest where ALL harvest days will begin at 5:30 am (we adopted this practice halfway through last season).
We were at 100 degrees plus this afternoon - with a miserable high of 104. That is when the electricity went out for around 3 hours. Staying inside and cool was the primary motivation. Water conservation was also in the mix, as the booster pump only takes water to the house when the electricity is working.
Ah, life in Napa Valley.
In the cool of the morning I tried a handful of well-colored berries from each block of the vineyard. St George at 21 Brix. 110r at 18.This does not represent the entire vineyard, of course. I still have pink and green berries within some clusters. Bu this is about where we were last year.
Merrill EMH Vineyards - Home of the Black Cat
email:Merrill@EMHVineyards.com
Well....CRAP!
After yesterday and the 13 brix stuff I was feeling ok. But I had an uneasy feeling about a young Chard block destined for bubbles and another Pinot block that goes to Shramsberg as well. The Pinot is a quad system that has great exposure and canopy.
The Chard tested 16.4 and the Pinot at 15.7. At 2+ points/week (not to mention this warm weather, and this point in the ripening curve) we're 8-10 days out for harvest 2019.
I wanted to go do a couple more fun things like a night on the coast and another Giants game, but the noose has tightened. We will have a gradual start with a few easy days which is always good. Equipment wise and physically we're ready but mentally I'm not. So CRAP, here we go anyway.
Heat spike this last week pushed brix up in RRV pretty quickly. Blessedly cooler this weekend and with more fog and clouds lingering this decidedly cool Sunday morning, giving things a little respite. I saw some fruit coming in along Westside Road last week, I’d guess for sparkling. Looking like a nice week coming up but with temps pushing into the low 90s most days I imagine a lot of places will be edging close to ripeness - especially in northern and eastern stretches of the valley. While running pre-harvest errands yesterday I pulled over to peek at a few vineyards from Sebastopol to Healdsburg and saw some brown stems around.
Sean Devaney wrote: ↑August 20th, 2019, 11:03 am
So it is on for you Casey? Have a great harvest
My guys picking 8 different sugar samples tomorrow. The Gruner is changing color and tasting good. We think there will be about a ton of that. Sparkling stuff gonna fly now! Will try to keep up with pics. I often have time waiting for loads to come in, or at the winery.
A handful of very purple berries yielded excellent flavor. Measured 20 Brix even. Surprised to see such deep color emerging in the juice in the collection bag.
Merrill EMH Vineyards - Home of the Black Cat
email:Merrill@EMHVineyards.com
Ben M a n d l e r wrote: ↑August 22nd, 2019, 7:42 pm
Yesterday we kicked off harvest at Williams Selyem with the first of our Pinot from the MacGregor vineyard. I hope everyone here has a great vintage!
Evan Pontoriero wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2019, 7:42 am
!!!!!!! Heart attack time. What brix?
Ben M a n d l e r wrote: ↑August 22nd, 2019, 7:42 pm
Yesterday we kicked off harvest at Williams Selyem with the first of our Pinot from the MacGregor vineyard. I hope everyone here has a great vintage!
I was afraid to post same question. 19 Brix, at best? Why?
G r e g P i a t i g o r s k i
I T B - i s k a r a n u w i n e
I'm guessing their Vin Gris will come from this? They made Blanc de Noir from Drakes but maybe changed the program to this site. I think it is behind Copain on Starr. It freaked me out because we get Floodgate/Starscape about a mile away and I haven't even washed a single tank or picking bin yet. The Gap fruit is still going through verasion.
Evan Pontoriero wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2019, 7:42 am
!!!!!!! Heart attack time. What brix?
Ben M a n d l e r wrote: ↑August 22nd, 2019, 7:42 pm
Yesterday we kicked off harvest at Williams Selyem with the first of our Pinot from the MacGregor vineyard. I hope everyone here has a great vintage!
I was afraid to post same question. 19 Brix, at best? Why?
Evan Pontoriero wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2019, 5:06 pm
I'm guessing their Vin Gris will come from this? They made Blanc de Noir from Drakes but maybe changed the program to this site. I think it is behind Copain on Starr. It freaked me out because we get Floodgate/Starscape about a mile away and I haven't even washed a single tank or picking bin yet. The Gap fruit is still going through verasion.
Evan Pontoriero wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2019, 7:42 am
!!!!!!! Heart attack time. What brix?
I was afraid to post same question. 19 Brix, at best? Why?
I am but a lowly intern and don’t have all the details (and it’s not really my place to talk about them anyway), but that site does seem to ripen early, and what I popped in my mouth at the sorting table was lovely. I’ve seen some trucks with full bins going by so some other people are picking, but just meandering up and down east- and westside road you can tell that there’s a fair bit of site variability. I’m sure your fruit is doing fine!
I’m sure all the vineyards in the gap are way way behind.
Evan Pontoriero wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2019, 5:06 pm
I'm guessing their Vin Gris will come from this? They made Blanc de Noir from Drakes but maybe changed the program to this site. I think it is behind Copain on Starr. It freaked me out because we get Floodgate/Starscape about a mile away and I haven't even washed a single tank or picking bin yet. The Gap fruit is still going through verasion.
LOL Nate. There are certain expectations. Strangeness can happen though, like last year I didn't expect Rockpile Zin to come in before Russian River Pinot Noir. I didn't even think I would need to sample for another week.
Thanks for the info Ben, That will kick me in the butt to get up there tomorrow, right before washing tanks and bins
Evan Pontoriero wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2019, 5:06 pm
I'm guessing their Vin Gris will come from this? They made Blanc de Noir from Drakes but maybe changed the program to this site. I think it is behind Copain on Starr. It freaked me out because we get Floodgate/Starscape about a mile away and I haven't even washed a single tank or picking bin yet. The Gap fruit is still going through verasion.
Evan Pontoriero wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2019, 8:09 pm
LOL Nate. There are certain expectations. Strangeness can happen though, like last year I didn't expect Rockpile Zin to come in before Russian River Pinot Noir. I didn't even think I would need to sample for another week.
Thanks for the info Ben, That will kick me in the butt to get up there tomorrow, right before washing tanks and bins
Evan Pontoriero wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2019, 5:06 pm
I'm guessing their Vin Gris will come from this? They made Blanc de Noir from Drakes but maybe changed the program to this site. I think it is behind Copain on Starr. It freaked me out because we get Floodgate/Starscape about a mile away and I haven't even washed a single tank or picking bin yet. The Gap fruit is still going through verasion.
Geez, guys. Varieties ripen at different times in different places, even in places close in proximity. You know this, my man!
If you've been in your vineyard and you know it isn't ready, take a deep breath. Relax. And go sample it.
I know, man. It can be crazy and make no sense.
I have Anderson Valley Pinot that I will pick before Calistoga SB.
Alexander Valley Cabernet that I will pick before RRV SB.
Dundee Hills Pinot that I’ll pick before Napa Valley Cabernet franc.
I’ve worked with them all for a while so I know where the canaries are. And have some solid sampling interns.
The micro climate and uniqueness of site is part of what makes this all fun!
13 tons in.....570 to go!
Picked a young Chard block over 2 mornings for sparkling for 2 different clients. Worked with a small in house crew. Nice to not have a major pick early in the season so we can get a groove going.
Monday not scheduled but tons of sampling and some irrigating to do. Will start picking at 5:30 am next picking day. Looking forward to getting some serious tons in the barn.
I have a very unofficial (grab a handful) 21.5 Brix - both St. George and 110R included. Color of juice is deeper than I would expect. Berries popped in the mouth from the vine are in sync with refractometer reads - flavors are beautiful. Stems are still green, so these can hang in quite a bit longer. I'm still thinking around the 15th. Weather has been great for growing.
Merrill EMH Vineyards - Home of the Black Cat
email:Merrill@EMHVineyards.com
Almost 4:00 am. This will be the first serious day. Going for 24 tons of sparkling Chard. Beefed up the crew. Hasn't been quite perfect growing for me the last couple of days. Too hot!
48 tons over 2 days is pretty good. Gonna get another 20-22 tomorrow. Will pick our first Gruner Veltliner crop on Friday. Expecting a ton from 3 acres on third leaf vines. Philips Hill is the lucky client who gets first crack.
Very happy to see a cool off coming starting tomorrow. 10 degrees cooler daytime highs than what we've been having. I'm relieved and excited to see what the next week brings.
Going to break 100 tons tomorrow. 87 tons of bubbles so far. We are picking at estimate so far but it's early. Early rumbings is that there's more out there than previously thought. I'll need another 4-5 days to know where we are. So far pickers are happy and so are we. Shifting to Pinot tomorrow so that should give us a readiing on where we're at. Stay tuned.
I heard from my Mom today that her sangiovese vineyard in Amador County is a total write-off this year due to mildew. She dropped a bunch of fruit where they could see mildew on the outside of the clusters, but the winery that buys most of her fruit came out and cracked open a lot of clusters and found mildew inside. I've been a big proponent of mineral oil for fungal control, but it wasn't enough this year. It's only 4 acres but still a gut punch. I wish I'd talked her into crop insurance.
Stewart Johnson wrote: ↑August 30th, 2019, 8:49 pm
I heard from my Mom today that her sangiovese vineyard in Amador County is a total write-off this year due to mildew. She dropped a bunch of fruit where they could see mildew on the outside of the clusters, but the winery that buys most of her fruit came out and cracked open a lot of clusters and found mildew inside. I've been a big proponent of mineral oil for fungal control, but it wasn't enough this year. It's only 4 acres but still a gut punch. I wish I'd talked her into crop insurance.
Sorry to hear about that, Stew. Anything at all that you and your Mom can still do with fruit? Was it a particularly bad year for mildew pressure in Amador?
ITB, Harrington Wines & Eno Wines, and Grape-Nutz.com
Stewart Johnson wrote: ↑August 30th, 2019, 8:49 pm
I heard from my Mom today that her sangiovese vineyard in Amador County is a total write-off this year due to mildew. She dropped a bunch of fruit where they could see mildew on the outside of the clusters, but the winery that buys most of her fruit came out and cracked open a lot of clusters and found mildew inside. I've been a big proponent of mineral oil for fungal control, but it wasn't enough this year. It's only 4 acres but still a gut punch. I wish I'd talked her into crop insurance.
Sorry to hear about that, Stew. Anything at all that you and your Mom can still do with fruit? Was it a particularly bad year for mildew pressure in Amador?
It does seem to have been a rough mildew year, judging from the Vinquiry newsletters and the crop insurance inspector I talked with today. I haven't seen that in my vineyard, but I don't usually face very heavy pressure. Heavy spring moisture causing heavy canopies and fairly mild temps this Summer seems to be a bad combination.
The purchasing winery had considered making white sangiovese from the fruit, which would have been the best possible approach -- early pick and minimal skin contact. In the end, they decided against it. I'm starting to pick for sparkling on Tuesday and I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to go have a look for myself. It doesn't sound promising for red wine.
Brix taste like 21 at Moulds and 20 at Houyi. Guessing 5-6 weeks out. No hurry. Really don't care about brix anyway. If I had to watch a number it would be pH and I am looking for 3.65-3.75 at pick. Usually find the rest falls in line at those levels.
Roy Piper wrote: ↑September 1st, 2019, 3:47 pm
Brix taste like 21 at Moulds and 20 at Houyi. Guessing 5-6 weeks out. No hurry. Really don't care about brix anyway. If I had to watch a number it would be pH and I am looking for 3.65-3.75 at pick. Usually find the rest falls in line at those levels.
For reference we picked some sparkling Chardonnay with ph of 3.05, acid of 1.20 at 19 brix.
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