Cultivating an Enduring Legacy

In mid to late April, the vines begin to awaken from their winter slumber and push a shoot from the cane. This process is known as bud break. During this delicate time, we are entirely at the mercy of Mother Nature, as any frost could damage the vulnerable buds. However, because our vineyard site is warmer than others in the valley, frost has rarely been an issue.

Flowering is another crucial period for the vineyard, during which wind, rain, and even colder weather and can dislodge the delicate flowers growing on our vines. If a sizable storm hits the vineyard while the vines are flowering, we could lose most of the crop before the flowers begin to self-pollinate - or set - to form berries, resulting in a potentially low yield.

Trellising turns sunlight into wine by allowing the rays of sun to reach the fruit, enhancing the ripening process. It also increases the airflow to the grape clusters, allowing the wind to cool down the fruit in the evening hours, a crucial part of maintaining acidity in the vineyard.

By thinning the fruit, we reduce the crop load early in the growing season, allowing the plant to focus its energies on ripening the remaining fruit. Vines with lighter crop loads allow wine grapes to develop more intense flavors, which in turn allows for increased flavor in the wines we create. Since Oregon often receives generous rainfall in autumn, we reduce crop load dramatically during the summer to ensure a ripening before fall rains come.

All varieties start green in color, and through the process of véraison, the grapes begin to change color. At this point, we can start to speculate on the outlook for the vintage, including the cluster weights, average yield per acre, and potential harvest date. Harvest generally occurs six weeks from the middle of véraison.

During the summer, we strive to find an equilibrium between what Mother Nature gives us and how to ensure a top-notch harvest. These measures include removing leaves in the fruit zone to allow sun and wind to advance ripening, irrigating to feed the plants the right amount of water at the right time, and pursuing a meticulous regimen of under-vine cultivation, vine hedging, and the removal of excess crop.

As fall approaches, we begin testing the fruit for ripeness and flavor, to decide which sections are ready for harvesting. Factors considered include Brix, pH and acidity, along with flavor development. The grapes are handpicked in the early morning hours, before the autumn sun had a chance to warm the vineyard. Using small, sharp bypass pruners, the vineyard crew clips and places clusters into 5-gallon picking buckets, which are then loaded into bins and transported to the winery.