Budbreak 2015 - 3/13/15

Following the earliest harvest in recent memory, we had a warmer than normal dormant season, with about 2 inches below average rainfall.  Now, we are starting the 2015 growing season at the earliest date - by far - in recent memory.  The vineyard is ready for budbreak, and the buds are breaking uniformly across all of our blocks.  Hopefully we don't get a heavy frost in the coming weeks.

I'm not a scientist...or a politician...but, does any farmer really believe that there isn't some sort of climate change occurring? 

2014 - Long, Slow Fermentations of Fully-Ripened, Perfect Clusters

2014 will go down as one of the earliest, warmest, and driest winegrowing seasons in recent Willamette Valley history, producing some very flavorful Pinots.

Without any of the, used-to-be-normal, several multi-day spikes above 100, we had no sun-damage; without any rain before harvest, we had no botrytis; and with the long and very warm ripening period, we had no unripened berries.  Even with no irrigation or rainfall and daily relative humidity in the single- and extremely-low-double digits, there was no raisening.  In short, we had perfect clusters this harvest.

The overriding characteristic of this vintage should turn out to be flavor.  If ever there were an Oregon growing season to let the grapes fully ripen, 2014 was it.  And, ripen they did.

Surprisingly, sugar and acid levels were not as indicative of the clear, hot, dry ripening weather as might be expected.  Compared to 2012 (a Pinot vintage that may go down as one of the most consistently great Oregon Pinot vintages, but nowhere near as warm a season or a finish): 2014 Brix levels were at least a half degree lower; and while 2014 TA was slightly lower than 2012 and 2014 pH was about 0.1 to 0.2 units higher than 2012, Tartaric acid levels were approximately the same, with the main decrease in acid being from the almost negligible levels of Malic acid we saw this year.  [It will be interesting to see the effect of intervention vs non-intervention after the wines go through MLF.  I would guess there are a goodly number of winemakers that looked at Brix, TA, and pH and then proceeded to water down and add Tartaric, without noticing there was little to no Malic in the must.]

Unlike 2013, which practically mirrored 2014 (at least, until the last week or so before harvest), 2014 fermentations were long and slow; gradually warming up and only hitting the 90F range at less than 5 degrees Brix.  We barreled down the last tank yesterday; about 28 days after the grapes were picked.

Here are a few photos of what the caps looked like during early fermentation and what the wine looked like at the press (photos don't do justice to the colors):

2014 Harvest: Sept. 19-23

We started harvest early this year on the same day as last year, at the end of an unusually warm ripening period.

This year's fruit is beautiful and tasty: fully-ripened, deep blue-black berries, without sun-burn or rot, with little to no shriveling, and with intense fruit flavors.


Although sugar levels rose high, fast, and early during this season's ripening period; they slowed down considerably a week or so before harvest, ending in the 24-25 degrees of Brix range.  Acid levels seemed to drop slower than usual this year, ending at the same or lower levels than normal.  A significant, and unusual variation this year is the extremely low level of malic acid.

Flavors, which normally come on late in the ripening process, did so as usual this year. And, at least in the case of early ripening vineyards like ours, the lack of rain and birds this year allowed for additional hang-time to take advantage of the unusually favorable conditions for flavor development.

Almost There...

Sugars and acids are coming into picking range, skin tannins are coming on, and flavors are beginning to show themselves.  Clear skies; low, low humidities, and unseasonably warm temps continue.  We'll start picking next week, about the same time as last year.

Dijon Clone 114

Dijon Clone 115

Wadenswil

Pommard

Final Ripeing 2014

With weather like this since mid-May, the vines have grown well and are in great shape to finish ripening the season's early and abundant crop.


Clone 114

Clone 115

Pommard

Wadenswil

 

As of Wednesday, average Brix and pH for the vineyard was 21 and 3.0, respectively; with green, but ripening, seeds; and tough, unflavored skins. Dry, sunny weather since then, with temperatures into the mid- to upper-90s, have ripened the grapes further; and humidity levels around 10% have softened the berries somewhat.  After it cools off Tuesday, we'll test for sugar and pH - hopefully by that time skins will start showing some flavor.   

August 2014 Cumulative Heating Degree Days and Rainfall

Temperature-wise, through August, we've had 2072 heating degree days this season - almost an exact duplicate of last year, and one of the warmest seasons in recent memory.  Fortunately, again this year, the warmth has come in the form of steady warm temperatures, rather than in heat spikes - with only 5 days above the critical 95F point.

Rainfall-wise, for October through August, we've had 27.4 inches of rainfall this season, 11 inches less than the 10-yr average, an inch less than the most recent driest year (2009), and about 7 inches less than last year.  All of the shortfall came during the dormant season, but with plenty of rain during early shoot-growth the vines have been exceptionally vigorous this season.

As we head into the last few weeks before harvest, the weather forecast is showing continued sunny, dry weather with highs in the mid- to upper-80s and lows in the low-50s,

Veraison Begins

We're dropping wings and 3rd clusters, just as veraison begins.

Hot, dry weather continues into August.  We're tracking very close to last year's fruit development; unless we get some serious cold, wet weather over the next 6-8 weeks, we'll likely begin picking sometime in mid-September.