October 27, Harvest Begins...and A Great One It's Looking To Be!!!

Beautiful sunny, 40 F morning

First buckets

Celeste and Hua Hua field sorting clusters

Long, hard day's work just beginning

An exceptionally tough season's reward

Preliminary Brix & pH:
Pommard/Wadenswil Fermenters - Brix 25.5, pH 3.49
114/115 Fermenters - Brix 23.5, pH 3.37

Hit Freezing Point This Morning, Moderate Frost, Birds Flocking...First Pick Tomorrow

Light Frost Last Night, Heavier Frost Expected Tonight

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
303 AM PDT TUE OCT 25 2011

ORZ001>009-014-WAZ020>023-039-261315-
NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-
COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-
CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA-
GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-
SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY-WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-
UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY-WILLAPA HILLS-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-I-
5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-
303 AM PDT TUE OCT 25 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST
OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

COOL TEMPERATURES WITH AREAS OF FROST EXPECTED THIS MORNING AND
AGAIN LATE TONIGHT. REFER TO THE LATEST FORECASTS (PDXNPWPQR) AND
(PDXZFPPQR) FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

COOL TEMPERATURES WITH AREAS OF FROST EXPECTED EARLY WEDNESDAY
MORNING. REFER TO THE LATEST FORECASTS (PDXNPWPQR) AND
(PDXZFPPQR) FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

Drying Out After 2 Weeks of Wet Weather, Flavors Coming On Strong

The grapes are in pretty good shape in spite of almost 2 inches of rain and perfect Botrytis conditions during the first two weeks of the month; skin tannins are well developed, seeds are browning, and flavors are intensifying.  With a few days of sun this week, sugar levels have begun climbing again; and some blocks should be ready for harvest next week...if the birds and frost allow.

Clone 114: Brix 23.0, pH 3.1

Clone 115: Brix 22.5, pH 3.1

Wadenswil Clone: Brix 23.5, pH 3.2

Pommard Clone: Brix 23.5, pH 3.2

Clusters Fully Colored, Final Ripening Begins

This September was one of the warmest Septembers in recent history with 467 heating degree days, easily surpassing 2009's 402 heating degree days, and bringing 2011 cumulative heating degree days to levels seen in all but the hottest recent years.

We've hardly had any rain since mid-July, only a quarter inch in September.

As a result, the grapes are now uniformly black, around 19-20 Brix, and 2.9-3.0 pH.  Although the berries have softened, the skins are still fairly tough, skin tannins and flavors are not yet perceptible.  We now head into the final weeks of ripening.

As of this morning, still wet from last night's rain:
Clone 114

Clone 115

Wadenswil Clone

Pommard Clone