2013 Oregon: how are the grapes doing?

[Beau_Carufel]

@Jim Anderson

@Beau Carufel

Lots of fruit flies out there I’m hearing. Talked to a grower last Thursday who told me that it was some nefarious new species that gets out into the fields and lays its eggs in the grapes, puncturing the skins. Apparently this action is allowing acetobacter in and ruining entire clusters. I was told that some people’s vineyards smell like acetic acid. What a bummer!

Drosophila. Nasty, disgusting creatures. Perfect storm of warm, humid, early ripening in the Dundee Hills and other places. It is not fun.

We’ve so far been spared up around 750 feet in Gaston. Elk Cove is reportedly doing ok too but I don’t know about Patton Valley or Big Table Farm.

On a side note, I brought in 1,000 lbs of Washington Gamay Noir this Sunday and we had to toss entire clusters, probably 20-30, that were infected with the larva. Gross! I hit the fermenter with dry ice and SO2 immediately. So far, so good.

[scottpaulpn]

Nothing yet for us - may start over the weekend with Ribbon Ridge, which is almost ready. Raining again today - supposedly 4-5 dry days ahead starting Thursday, and then another sunny and dry spell Oct. 4-8. We’ll probably pick everything in those two windows. No fruit-fly acetobacter issues at any of our sites yet. Fingers crossed, eyes on the skies…

[Rick_Allen]

I suspect that most winemakers are a bit busy right now. I’ve seen lots of fruit in and processed in the last two days. Reason? It looks like we’re getting more than a bit of rain this weekend…

[Vincent_Fritzsche]

Yeah, it really looks like a tough forecast this weekend. And yet so much fruit is still going to be out there. This is shaping up a little '05 like. An early segment to harvest in mostly sun with good ripeness in early sites. This middle period of fairly intense weather, though this looks like more than we ever saw in '05, and then we hope a mild back end where everything else comes in. We’ll see.

[Jim_Anderson]

@Vincent Fritzsche

Yeah, it really looks like a tough forecast this weekend. And yet so much fruit is still going to be out there. This is shaping up a little '05 like. An early segment to harvest in mostly sun with good ripeness in early sites. This middle period of fairly intense weather, though this looks like more than we ever saw in '05, and then we hope a mild back end where everything else comes in. We’ll see.

I’ll take that. It will be like having to harvests. We’re pressing stuff today and will have more than half of 50+ tons pressed out when we resume picking. It is going t o rain but it is supposed to sty cold which would be great.

[Bill_H_o_o_p_e_r]

Too much fruit hanging, too much rain this weekend, not enough picking crews by far, and probably lots of rot on the way. Vine-age, drainage, clone and cover-crop are going to be very important in the next few weeks.

[Todd_Hamina]

Brought in some client wine today, 8 tons. Everything else hangs.

[PeterH]

I’m a gardener, not a viticulturist, but I’ve found that grasses can absorb so much moisture that soil 6" under can be dry after 2" of rain. I’ve also been picking raspberries that are ripening better and staying more mold free with the recent cold rainy weather than in the warm humid period a few weeks ago.
Thus, I have hopes of grapes making it through the next three days and recovering if it really dries out as predicted.

P Hickner

[rfelthoven]

I love watching Todd work on the knife edge each year. I’m surprised he’s not bald!

[dsGriswold]

@ron felthoven

I love watching Todd work on the knife edge each year. I’m surprised he’s not bald!

From his cycling posts I assume he was a racer. They need to be on the knife edge. Just part of the DNA.

[Adam_Lee]

We picked out first stuff yesterday. Sections that really needed to be picked. Have more on the books for next week…but obviously the weather is a real concern.

Will see how this first stuff comes in and then make a plan going forward.

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

[Vincent_Fritzsche]

@Todd Hamina

Brought in some client wine today, 8 tons. Everything else hangs.

Winemaker as executioner.

Oh, I thought you wrote “everyONE else hangs.” Let 'em dangle and all that…

[Jim_Anderson]

We’re one third in. Pouring but very cool and windy. Hope for the best and for a nice October.

[Todd_Hamina]

@Vincent Fritzsche

@Todd Hamina

Brought in some client wine today, 8 tons. Everything else hangs.

Winemaker as executioner.

Oh, I thought you wrote “everyONE else hangs.” Let 'em dangle and all that…

That’s funny. I may use that name for my 48+ months in barrel Deux Vert vineyard Syrah/Viognier from 09… Thank you Vincent. “The Executioner”.

[rfelthoven]

How about XXXecutioner?

[scottpaulpn]

Bringing in a few tons of Nysa fruit today - but will wait for everything else. Looks like we’ll all be picking like mad Weds-Sunday… Bring on the sun, baby…

[Darren_Graves]

@Jim Anderson

We’re one third in. Pouring but very cool and windy. Hope for the best and for a nice October.

Looks like a big storm rolling intpo the PNW, good luck.

[Doug_Ackerman]

We’re about 1/2 in. Harvested some fruit today that needed to come off, and some fruit that tasted too good to risk leaving through this weather. Man, tough sledding today. Picking in the rain is for the birds. Though it doesn’t seem to bother them.

[Todd_Hamina]

I went to Zenith vineyard and dug a few holes to see how far the moisture had penetrated the ground and to get an all around feel before I wait another week or so to pick. After 6-12" the ground is dry and it’s windy as all get out. I believe that once the typhoon aspect is passed we will have some good times ahead. Game on.

[Adam_Lee]

Todd,

What are you hearing after the larger rain passes? Better weather or more shortwaves?

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines