Morning Ya'll,
Well it is another blustery day on the North Fork. The weather for the past week has been quite nice allowing the guys to move along in the vineyard. Most of the pruning is completed with the exception of the Pinot Noir and Syrah. The crew is more or less split between finishing pruning and pulling the brush from the wires. The "brush" is what the guys have cut from the vine. They place the "brush" in the middle of the rows where it will be chopped into mulch that will return to the soil as nutrients. In years past many vineyards would burn their brush, but now it is pretty standard to mulch it.
When the pruning is completed we will begin tying the canes to the fruiting wire. These canes will provide the new growth for the upcoming year. I am very excited about the upcoming growing season. Now having the experiences of two vintages I feel a greater relationship developing with the vineyard. Vines are much like people and each variety behaves in different ways. Also, each variety depending on where it is in the vineyard and when it was planted will change vine behavior. Now I begin to sound "hokie", but good vineyard managers and winemakers listen and pay close attention to their vines and wines. It is these subtle nuances that when noticed or possibly ignored can and will make significant differences in wine quality.
Cheers,
Juan
