This growing season in Alexander Valley and all over Sonoma County has been a bit unique. That's what makes farming fun and interesting... no two years are the same. Vineyard Manager, David Huebel, gives an update on the grapes and shares his harvest predictions for vintage 2023. The headline: "It has been late and will continue to be late."
No two years in farming are the same. Mother Nature is everchanging, impacting how we do things. This year's growing season is no different. Vineyard manager, Dave Huebel, shares how the 2023 growing season is so far, changes that he's made given the amount of rain and a new technique for sowing seeds in our insectary rows. Check out his video with highlights from this Spring.
Our most recent effort in the vineyard to reduce our carbon footprint was to eliminate the use of plastic ties. We tie vines to establish the exposure of the fruit to the elements. In the past, we had used plastic ties but this year, moved to using twine. We also use a Pellenc tying machine for our cane pruned vines, which is most of the vineyard. Often in looking for solutions to reduce our carbon footprint, we discover new things. Sometimes that pushes us outside our comfort zone, but if we are open to exploring new options and being flexible, we realize that we can change and adapt for the better. At the end of the day, we want to know that we are doing all we can preserve the environment and do the right thing.
In the past few weeks, California has experienced a series of rain storms, which has brought much needed precipitation to our dry (and thirsty!) state after years of drought. Here in Alexander Valley, the rainfall has been consistent with about one inch per day – some days heavier and some days lighter. Here is an interview with Winemaker Parke Hafner and Vineyard Manager Dave Huebel with their perspectives on the impact of the rain on our vineyards and ranch.
What does the expert see?! I took the below photo of a recently formed grape cluster on June 7. While I see beautiful lush green leaves and the excitement of a potential harvest, we wanted to know what vineyard manager, David Huebel, sees when he looks at the photo. He shares the first 5 things that he notices in the picture.
