This vintage threw me a few curves, primarily the powdery mildew pressure was very high this year, so my source for spray free grapes fell through. Also I realized that bird netting needs to be part of the plan. This will give me the time to choose when to pick
Most of the grapes in our vineyard have ripened already, only Cayuga and one other are still hanging. The birds decided to help me share, first by removing the Labelle, then the Leon Millot, and Golubok. Monastery Muscat and Epicure then got hammered. This was no great loss since the
We're on the cusp of two months of frenetic work. Between juice making and winemaking we'll see very little down time until the end of the harvest season. It has been an especially bad year for powdery mildew for the two no-spray vineyards we work
I had the distinct pleasure of spending the day with Paul Troop of Vivezza Vineyard. I'm impressed with someone who can make delicious wine or grow vines well or graft grapevines or install a professional looking vineyard. They have done ALL of these things AND selected more than
Golubok clusters are now almost entirely black. From now on I will use taste and other tricks to try to determine full ripeness. One good indicator that we're really close is when a gentle finger and thumb squeeze causes a slight deformation of the grape, which still bounces
Labelle grapes are ripening startlingly fast. The darkest colored berries are close to plausible as juice grapes, though still a little tart even for that. The Leon Millot, which started the season, is progressing slower, perhaps because it is relatively over cropped vs the Labelle. In the picture above, if
Golubok and LaBelle are showing the first signs of the grapes turning color. That means harvest is expected by Mid September, maybe earlier.
I'm seeing these pretty butterflies in the vineyard lately. Over the weekend I was able to get feedback from several friends on the Sangiovese. Despite its youth, it is shaping up pretty nicely and has plenty of yummy berry fruitiness and rich red wine lushness. The muscats and
Monastery Muscat has a pretty fuzzy underside of the leaf. This woolcarder bee decided it's worthy nest material.
I only learned about this species this year. Just like a car that you recently bought, now I am seeing them everywhere. I was particularly happy to see they're willing and able to tackle a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, since those are grapevine sapsuckers. Grapes are vigorous, to
Another beautiful reason to stay away from pesticides, this moth found at our vineyard. Meanwhile, the growth in the vineyard has been spectacular. We'll have at least eleven LaBelle vines on the 6' high cordon wire this year. Four or five Monastery Muscat, a few Jupiter and
Style: off dry Varietal: Chenin Blanc, plus 15% Sèmillon and a splash of white muscat Source: Paradisos del Sol, Zillah, WA, Paul Vandenberg Initial brix: 22 Initial pH: 3.4 Ingredients & Additives 85% Chenin 15% Semillon Preparation & Procedure Crushed and destemmed 2025-09-07 Topped once with muscat.
Life is absolutely popping in the vineyard right now. I saw a pretty lupine and went in for a closer picture, only to discover a grasshopper hidden within the inflorescence. After that I started noticing quite the community of tiny , cute green creatures.
People say grapevines are "weeds" but my experience has been mixed. Many of my young transplants have struggled to gain a foothold. Quite the opposite result with this LaBelle vine that I transplanted as a mature plant. Between that success and the first blooms from my Drouhin Zephirine
#ThingsIFoundInTheVineyard I'm going to continue cataloging the various species I find in the vineyard. First because I like to learn all their names and second, I like to know all the things that can survive in a spray-free vineyard.
Style: Plain red, minimal American oak chips during fermentation. Varietal: Sangiovese 85%, Leon Millot 15% Grape Source: Paradisos del Sol Zillah, WA and Woodland WA, respectively. Both vineyards operated with no fungicide sprays. pH 3.35 Drink from fall 2026 to 2031
Looks like Leon Millot is the earliest flowering vine I have. It's been blooming for a week now. LaBelle just started today. It makes sense, they are two of the earliest to complete ripening. Cayuga White and the Muscats won't be far behind.
This was a shocker. May 29th we had frost that destroyed tender shoots that were 12 inches or below in the lower 2/3rds of the vineyard. Everything above that height was completely unaffected. Most of our vines are tall enough to have dodged this frost. Simultaneously I am getting
Recent rain gave these two LaBelle vines what they need to climb up tall bamboo poles. The long tendrils indicate plentiful water is available to the vine. There's real vigor in these plants. Daisy and Lupine are just now blooming underneath the vines. It looks "neglected"
This is the wine I served at my son's graduation party. I selected it for that event because it is a crowd pleaser. A fresh, fruity, aromatic wine, low in tannins; perfect for a group including casual to experienced wine drinkers. Also, salmon was featured on the menu
The vines are really popping now. There's something thrilling about each glossy new leaf. I just had a great experience sharing Maréchal Foch rosé with a group of people who resoundingly agreed with my assessment that the wine was exceptional. This boosts my conviction that we're
I heard and then felt this heavy bug fly onto my back as I was walking up the driveway yesterday. Last year another species of jewel beetle landed on my hat in the same fashion. I take immense pleasure in living side by side with the widest variety of native
First, thank you to all who came to visit us at the vineyard this weekend, your interest is the lifeblood of the farm/winery! I was charmed by so many things, the eco-conscious children, the excitable puppies and the enthusiasm for our "*cide-free" farm and vineyard.
Riddy Arman's most recent album isn't exactly new, but I guess under appreciated. Her themes just what I love, clear-eyed about the ways of the world and yet creating beauty from it. And her voice is solid and balanced, it has world class power and