Hello and Welcome,
This is the climate update for
Mid-September 2012.
We are pleased to report that
we are experiencing perhaps the best growing season - ever. At least from the
winegrower point of view, this year is turning out to be a real
stunner.
Consider these facts:
- We have not recorded any measurable precipitation since June, that’s over 75 sunny, dry days.
- Our Degree Days are accumulating steadily without major heat spikes that can lead to sunburned fruit.
- The high temperatures coming into the last 4 weeks of ripening are in the mid to upper 80s helping to develop ripe flavors and scintillating aromas. Check out this Meteogram for the full picture!
- And the real clincher is that our evening temperatures are heading down to the low 40s and that, my friends, will lock in the spine tingling acidity we need for yet another well balanced and age worthy vintage. Note: After blending the 2010 vintage, our spines are tingling all the time!
As Dick Erath likes to say, "The
planets are coming into alignment." In fact, the only concerning thing that
Ernie sees is that this lack of rain is delaying his fall cover crop seeding. He
needs to open up the soil, and right now it is as hard and dry as concrete. Of
all of the problems we could be facing this time of year, dry soil is one he can
live with.
Harvest is looking to be just about
4 weeks away. Our canopy is holding up remarkably well, especially after Ernie
administered a third pass of "tough love" with the hedger. The leaves are still
a lush, dark green and have not shown much sign of senescing yet. They must be
waiting for a little rain.
Of course our standard bearer, the
Walnut tree is also holding out. Ernie thinks those 7 big trunks are from an
abandoned squirrel's nest. It has been the case each and every year at Amalie
Robert Estate that we look to the yellowing leaves on this volunteer before we
harvest any "wine berries." Last year, there was only one leaf holding on when
we harvested our Syrah and Viognier - very Feng Shui.The next four weeks will find us in the winery cleaning
and scrubbing, getting ready to haul in some 70 tons worth of 2012 vintage
Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Viognier. And in a year or two
there just may be a little Gewürztraminer in our harvest buckets. More on that
project next year.
Ah, the numbers. We take a reading
mid month in September because we can. It is just another data point along the
way and helps us to understand our fruit development coming down the home
stretch. Through the 15th of September, we have accumulated 244 Degree Days, for
a growing season to date total of 1,718. We are only 4 Degree Days short of the
entire 2010 growing season of 1,722! But wait, there's more.
Our high temperature was 97.1 and
our low temperature for the month was a brisk 41.0 degrees Fahrenheit. There was
no rainfall in the first 15 days of September. Rainfall since April 1st through
September 15th remains 8.96 inches. A full and comparative report will be
provided at month end.
But heat units aren't the whole
story. We need time for the berries to ripen their seeds and ultimately develop
stunning flavors and aromas while maintaining vibrant acidity. Besides, the
birds aren't here yet. The real excitement begins in the second half of
September. We expect a little precipitation, but who knows when.
In the past few cool vintages, it
has been the latter half of September and the first half of October that Mother
Nature decided to send a little love our way. Then there was 2011, where
September felt like April and we burned through all of October to finish our
Pinot Noir harvest the first week of November! That tingling sensation
originated just below our spines. We think of the 2011 vintage often, but not
fondly.
"Lean into it" they say. Yep,
that's what’s next - Okto-vember. More than any other time during the year, this
61 day period is when we switch from wine to bier. It's a Germanic thing. See
you next month!
Kindest Regards,
Dena & Ernie
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