FWIW, I’ve seen a decent amount of RRV berry samples come in at between 1-2 - awaiting results of microferments in most cases. The Santa Lucia Highlands is another area where red grapes have been greatiy impacted. It appears most likely that Clarice Wine Company won’t be producing a 2020 vintage and Beau Marchais’ production will be cut in half. I am still awaiting microferment results to say that with complete certainty, but at this point it would be something akin to a miracle if the end result were different. I am planning on paying the growers for their cost of farming as I think the comment about the growers taking it in the shorts is pretty accurate and this was far out of their control.
Adam Lee
Clarice Wine Company & Beau Marchais Winery
Yes indeed! Clos Pepe fruit. That’s the half of Beau Marchais that I am still getting (and 1/4 of production). Fruit looks good - about 23 brix on average right now (3 different sections). Haven’t seen it since this recent blast of heat but will be down on Friday and look at it.
Shit. That’s beyond awful. To some extent it’s less the money involved and more the loss of the opportunity to do the work that you want to do.
I’m hoping we are not being impacted in this way but WTF do I know about smoke taint, how it happens, how much and what type/length/intensity of exposure is required and so on? Zip.
From what I could tell from the satellite fire maps, the fire just completely stalled there. Don’t know how many firefighters were on the ground, because they were mainly in more inhabited areas like Boulder Creek, Ben Lomand, Bonny Doon.
At this point I think the central valley is full of smoke from the August Complex (mainly Glenn county not Mendo), the fire near Fresno and all the previous fires. Today’s offshore winds blew it towards the coast.