2011 Harvest Update

Almost every year around this time Chicken Little makes an appearance to tell us the sky is falling.  This morning he was on the radio proclaiming gloom and doom for the 2011 vintage.   I have to say that I don’t share his pessimism.  Sure it’s a little nerve wracking just waiting for grapes to ripen when we are having some drizzly weather, but it’s important to look at facts and make assessments on what we know and see in the vineyards.  What I do know is th at this year, so far, is a lot like 2010 when people were very nervous going into early October.  The wines of 2010, howe ver, turned out to be great expressions of our cool climate viticulture with bright color, vibrant aromatics and ripe yet lively flavors.  In some ways they are some of the best we have made here at Montinore.

This year has progressed in much the same way as the last: late bud break, late bloom, cooler summer, very warm September and now a mix of sun and clouds so far in October.  When you look at total heat units for this growing season, 2011 has been warmer than 2010.  As I walk out in the vineyards I see firm, clean fruit and healthy vines that are moving right along toward ripening.  As of 10/3 our Pinot blocks were closing in on maturity with Brix levels in the 18 to 20 range.   I think it’s important to remember that vines ripen in response to “inside” forces as well as “outside”.  It’s true that they slow down when things get cooler but even at 60 degrees they are still building sugar and flavors.  As long as the fruit is clean and the vines are working we are getting closer to that point of perfection.  For me, I welcome the extended hang time.  It helps produce more complex and interesting flavor profiles and that’s what we want.   Sure I’m nervous, but at the end of the day I wouldn’t want to be growing Pinot Noir and our cool climate whites anywhere else.

Wine of the Month -- 2009 Reserve Pinot Noir

I sip this wine and simply smile.  2009 was an amazing summer for me; full of warm nights on the patio and hot afternoons of softball in the park.  While I enjoyed the sun, the pinot grapes on our property were soaking it up and reaching their full ripeness in early October. 

State of the Vineyard -- June 14, 2011

It’s been “hurry up and wait” for the past month while we experienced the coolest, wettest Spring in 120 years.  Normally by this time we would have shoots 12 to 18 inches long and been far along in the shoot thinning process but growth has been held back by the weather.  Now that the weather has turned and we are getting warmer days the shoots are rapidly turning into canes and seemingly growing before our eyes.  Each bud puts out two to three shoots that can become canes but only the “primary” shoot, the first to grow, gives us the best fruit.  So the job now for our vineyard crew is to remove all but the primary shoot at each bud location before the shoots grow too long; 20 buds per vine, 215,620 vines…….you do the math.

We have 23 skilled workers working six days a week selecting the best shoots on each vine to ensure the best wine quality.  This is work that only skilled hands can do and we are so fortunate to have a group of people that have been working here at Montinore for years, many since the first planting in 1982.

Spring Time Flowers

Now that Spring has finally sprung I have decided to dedicate my blog to all the gorgeous colors we are seeing pop up throughout the grounds. I was going to try and describe these images to you, but realized that writing about the beauty of my favorite spots would pale in comparison to the actual images. So I grabbed the camera and headed outside! I hope you enjoy these shots as much as I enjoyed taking them.

--Aubree Ricks

Inside Memorial Day in Wine Country

The morning sun and the nagging repetitiveness of my alarm forces me to open my eyes and officially start my day.  It has been a long week already preparing for an equally long holiday weekend but I am excited.  I am excited for the official start of the season, excited to see familiar faces and meet many new ones and just plain excited for the energy that Memorial Day weekend brings.  As soon as we flip the signs to read OPEN the eager wine tasters will start to arrive and hooray, the holiday weekend is officially underway.

 
Lynn pouring the vertical of Graham's Block 7 from the Library

Rhetta Christie Band

Thankfully the rain has managed to hold off for much of the weekend and pulling up the winery early Monday morning the hustle and bustle from the weekend starts to show on my face...thank goodness for strong coffee.  The sun is starting to come out and our neighbor with the mighty green thumb has just delivered beautiful flowers that help to put the finishing touches on the already very alive and vibrant greenery and wisteria framing the front door.  I take a deep breath of the fresh air I am not privy to living in the city and while I am sad to see this weekend end and thankful for all those who stoped in and visited us, I need a nap and glass of wine.

- Jill Augustin.