Although we are not out of a drought by a long shot, things have definitely improved over the past month. Up to 10 inches of rain fell last week in the hilly areas of Sonoma County, and more is on the way, with heavy rain predicted through this weekend. A “Miracle March,” like one we […]
Last month I started this newsletter with a description of the possible perils to the wine industry as a result of persistent dry weather conditions. The picture is no prettier today; in fact, a real threat to California agriculture in general exists today. Reservoir levels are perilously low, wells are drying up, and water rationing
The Drought Continues Read More »
Happy New Year! I am looking out a window in my home in Dry Creek Valley and it appears to be another beautiful day. The only problem is there have been far too many “beautiful” days in the past year. Just five inches of rain fell in this part of the county in 2013, where
It finally feels wintry, with the skies dark and a chill wind in the air. The only thing we are missing is rain, plenty of rain. The city of Santa Rosa has received only a bit over eight inches in 2013, compared to a normal year of over 24 inches. While we have enjoyed two
Season’s Greetings Read More »
It’s all over – even the shouting. Harvest 2013 ended for us last Friday, October 27th. Few expected the size and quality of the crop, a replica of 2012. When picking started in late August growers and winemakers alike were concerned that much of the harvest would happen at once, causing strain on equipment and
The Press Democrat reported today that Harvest 2013 has begun, as pickers in the Napa Valley harvested the first grapes for this year’s sparkling wine. We are planning to finish up bottling over the next week or so in order to be ready for grapes as early as the last week of August. That has
First we get a very unseasonable storm which dropped over two inches of rain. Then we get a heat wave which brought temperatures over 100 degrees for days on end. And summer has just begun! The year 2013 will be a memorable one – in one way or another. Our 2011 Alexander Valley Merlot has
After a few cool days with a couple of sprinkles, Mother Nature got right back on track and we are in the midst of summer in Sonoma – warm days and cool nights. It appears a very big crop is at hand, as many growers report large numbers of big clusters of grapes. It also
The big news in the vineyards the last few weeks has been the abundance of fruit on the vines. It looked like the beginning of a monster vintage. However, it’s always dangerous to predict anything about a grape crop so early in the season, and this year may be no exception. The last week has
Spring Into…Summer Read More »
After a very wet December, winter in Sonoma County has turned cold and dry. It is time for pruning in the vineyards, and getting the early white wines bottled. Our 2012 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2012 Sonoma Country Rose of Pinot Noir, and 2012 Russian River Valley Pinot Gris will soon be in the
Winter in Wineland Read More »
