Vineyard Infrastructure

Pictures from this week in the vineyard… working on trellis systems and tightening loose wires.

Hillside Babies

We had a few planting projects this year, including replanting this hillside vineyard. Nothing like seeing new growth and potential in the vineyard.

Good Views Don’t Get Old

Good views in the vineyard don’t get old. Neither does a well-tended hillside.

Pruning Shears

A good pair of scissors in the vineyard is a must. Here the guys hung there’s up on a break from pruning the vineyard this winter.

Fresh Cut

Ready for spring. Pruned and taped vines. Winter work in the vineyard.

Pruning in the vineyard

This winter … out in the fields, keeping warm, selecting and cutting vines, preparing for another great vintage.

Nets!

Nets also help prevent our feathered friends from getting to the fruit before we do. At harvest time, the first step is to remove the nets to expose the fruit - ready for harvest.

Pinot Noir ready

Harvest is always a wonderfully crazy time. There are so many variables to line up in hopes of catch the grapes at their best. Here are some photos from a Pinot Noir pick this harvest.

Harvest 2021

Harvest is well underway. For us it starts with the Pinot Noir grapes. We pick and night or in the early morning, so the fruit is fresh - cooler, and firmer for transport to the winery.

Vineyard view

Sometimes, you just get that chance for a great view from the top. Francisco was working on the roof of a winery one day, and took this photo. Wine country looking good.

Smoky view

We’ve had some smoky days here in wine country. The all two familiar red morning sun and low hanging haze. Here’s a view from one morning in the vineyard:

New Vineyard Infrastructure

Laying out and building new vineyard infrastructure is exiting. The new growth and shiny wires. Here are a few photos from when we added trellis wires to help support the new vine growth.

Veraison 2021

When the grapes begin to turn their purple, pink, red colors we call it veraison. It’s exciting and begins the count down to harvest. Here’s a photo of the change.

Grafted

We always enjoy grafting. It’s another example of how awesome life is. Take one plant, add the other, wrap them up, so they are in close contact and they grow together, giving each other life, and eventually giving us wine grapes.

Second Pass Suckering

The vines are growing, summer sun and all... This gives us an opportunity to do a second pass through the vineyard and sucker the plants. Here are some photos from vineyards that we’ve worked again this month. Cheers!

Nets

We’re not the only ones in the know… that know what good fruit looks and tastes like. The birds are on it. In some of our vineyards. We net the fruiting area of the vines to keep the birds at bay, and the wine grapes in tact.

Field Views

We talk about the vineyard as the field. We’re farming. We’re farming grapes. Some of the vineyards we tend have other fields around them. It’s good to be in the field.

Wine Grape Update

Most of our vineyards are on the cusp of veraison - getting ready to be ready, so to speak. They’re looking good…

Erosion Control

In the vineyard - On a steep hillside vineyard we brought straw before the recent rain storms. Photos from our work below. May it rain again soon!

Last Pick of 2020

Harvest 2020 with all its epic circumstances has concluded. The grapes are in! and we can turn our attention to preparing for the next growing season.

Here are a few photos from our last pick of the season. Cheers!