Vintage and Harvest 2009: Napa/Sonoma/North Coast

You guys don’t have weather? Where are the vineyard reports?
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It is softly drizzling right now in Healdsburg, finally a welcome sight since it has been dry. We are supposed to have scattered showers the rest of today and tomorrow with maybe a thunderstorm.

I saw woolly buds at the beginning of January in a Russian River Pinot Noir vineyard, which is problematic since the vineyard has no frost protection. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat had an article this week about budbreak in several vineyards in Sonoma County.

-Bryan

So far today we have gone through heavy downpours, sunshine and now back to steady rain. A very welcome sight and it is supposed to continue through at least next Tuesday.

I just got off the phone with my brother who is in Sonoma, he said it is raining so hard he can’t even see across the street in front of his store, and very gusty winds & cold.

2/13
St. Helena got about 0.9" in 6 hours last night according to the news.

Snow on the ground when I got to work in Foss Valley this morning, and then around 7:45 it started snowing, and hard!

About 30 minutes ago, it started raining pretty hard.

Forecast has a lot of rain in it for the next week. I also expect it to snow again, and will probably come up here tomorrow morning just to take some pics.

All in all, we still need it, but I’m feeling less glum about our H2O.

Seems like it has been raining non-stop for almost 24 straight hours. I just took a look at the radar and it looks like there is a big cell headed straight for us. Too bad a lot of this is just going to run-off, but all-in, really nice to see.

William, I just looked at the radar too and it looks like we are going to get hammered, especially with what’s now coming through the whole Santa Cruz area and taking aim at us.

Who is building the ark and is there room for me?

Can we stop hearing ‘we need the rain!’ now?

I live in Socal, I want SUNSHINE!

Unlikely.

We’re getting a break this week, but looks like more snow and rain every day next week. This allows some time for the water to soak in before the next round so it doesn’t just run off into the creeks and river. Perfect! Keep it coming.

We may need the Ark this week. Lots of rain, the weather forecast is calling for heavy rain today & tomorrow with it continuing on/off through the week.

This is great! I’m stoked for you all down there. We are getting dumped on up here as well, with lots more all week.[insert Yeah Baby! emoticon]

I just returned from Kona [d_sunny.gif] and although the former vacationer in me is bummed, the wine grower in me is doing summersaults at the current weather pattern.

We’ve got a long way to go to be out of the drought, but its a start! [d_sunny.gif]

Here’s a sign that Spring is not far off. This Petite Sirah bud is cracking. Time to prune these vines now.

Frost protection (fans) have been going the past two nights here in Napa.

We don’t have bud break yet in Healdsburg (still at the popcorn stage), but a friend I talked to today in Sonoma Valley has had their sprinklers on the past three nights.

-Bryan

I’m sure it will frost in Mendo tonight. Cold, raw day all day. The wind was out of the north early and it realy felt like winter. I called my bro this afternoon and he’s decided to run about half of his place tonight. I only really have Sangio out far enough to get zipped so here we go, farming season is pretty much underway! Good luck tonight everyone.

Good luck Casey.

I heard the valley humming by around 4:00 this morning but we haven’t dropped below 36. There’s a little breeze out there that probably made the difference. Now out to work!