2008 Growing Season ~ 5/9/08
Another growing season is upon us., though it's off to a mighty slow start. We finished pruning back in February expecting bud swell and bud break to occur in early April. With rains-a-plenty and snow to boot through late April, we still have yet to realize bud-break. Though there are no official records, many folks can't recall ever having such a late kickoff to the season ~ nearly 2+ weeks beyond last year's and not nearly completed as of May 9th. The additional rains have resulted in thick cover crops which should ultimately provide nice biomass and nitrogen content once worked back into the vineyard rows. We haven't really experienced any significant disease pressure to date. At this time, we're hopeful for a nice, sustained cool-warm weather pattern through bloom and are quite comfortable knowing our young vines from last year's Fall planting (2 acres of Pinot Noir + 1/2 acre of Chardonnay) are reaping the benefit of ample water supply. Though bud break is late, we very well could experience a rapid progression toward bloom in early June which would place harvest beginning (~ 100 days out) sometime in mid-late September.
As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainable farming, we eagerly await and will be thrilled to be using our new Pellenc Tournesol in-row cultivator as well as dedicated Honda for spraying tea/kelp brews.
2007 Growing Season ~
After a soggy and snow-filled winter, bud break in our Estate vineyard began in earnest, come late April. Through late May, we've completed multiple sprays applications, "suckering" and culitvation of every other row throughout the vineyard... thus introducing natural nitrogen and other biomass while encouraging the vines to develop deeper root systems.
This year, we will continue to incorporate more organic & biodynamic principles at our Estate vineyard by such activities as ~ applying foliar teas & kelp sprays, purchasing a Braun in-row cultivator, spreading compost in the vine rows for more bio-mass, ... Our intent is solely focused on giving back to the vineyard (rather than only taking from) and ultimately enhancing the quality of fruit through healthier soils and vines!
Immediately following harvest, we planted another 2 acres of Pinot Noir (115, 777 & Waidenswil clones), plus 1/2 acre of Chardonnay (76 and 95 clones).
2007 Harvest ~
Harvest began on Friday, September 28th & 29th and concluded on October 13th & 14th - our latest harvest at LV Estate vintage since our first in 2001. The vintage will undoubtedly be touted as average due to rains; yet we feel we've got a winner in the cellar with nearly all lots/barrels showing good color, revealing great flavors with balanced acids and tannins.
The first of the rains hit on Thurs, Sept. 27th with nearly 1" falling overnight. We brought out the sprayer the next morning and blew air throughout the blocks. Multiple passes were made down those blocks & even rows we would decide to harvest later that afternoon along with the following day - before the next rains arrived. This was our first go-around with the "nail biting" that any long-time farmer had certainly experienced and become more confident as a result. Nevertheless, we put our faith in our rigorous vitucultural practices over the past summer's growing season and decided to wait for flavors to develop in the remaining older blocks we'd not yet harvested (including Pommard, Upper Middle's Dijon block and La Tache in the West Block). Our patience was rewarded with flavor and physiological developement (browning of stems & seeds). Mother nature blessed us with extremely cool days and evenings during those two weeks of on-and-off rains which assisted in preventing botrytis while our well-drained, sandy, silty loam soils allowed our Estate vineyard's vines to focus on ripening.
We harvested approximately 68.5 tons of fruit in 2007 ~
- 41 tons of estate Pinot Noir for our Estate and Cuvee Giselle Pinot Noirs
- 8.5 tons of estate Pinot Noir for the 'S' Pinot Noir
- 15 tons Pinot Gris from multiple vineyards in OR (Del Rio, Guadalupe, Croft, Quail Run, Ankeney, Ana)
- 4 tons Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc from the Boushey, PepperBridge, Canoe Ridge, Seven Springs, Cold Creek, Minnick, Forgotten Hills, Dwelley and Old Stones vineyards in Walla Walla, WA.
