Amalie Robert Estate Vintage Update: 2015 Bud Break

Hello and Welcome,

In response to the wonderful spring like weather during February and March, the vines have decided it is time to get started. Bud Break at Amalie Robert Estate occurred on March 24, 2015. This is day 83 of the Julian calendar. And while it is too soon to say for sure, we could be harvesting around day 273 (September 30th.) That gives us 190 days to get from bud break...

... to harvest.

Bud Break is always a welcome sight. The vines lost their leaves last October and have been dormant all winter. Now, we see the first signs of what undoubtedly will be the vintage of the year! And the vines are in good company. Here are a few other plants that are contributing to Mother Nature’s spring color palette…

   

… and the odd fungus. 

 Bud Break also serves as the reminder to feed the vines. For the next month or so, Ernie will make the yearly spring passes to till in last fall’s cover crop and drill in the spring cover crop. Till & Drill.

Just so you know, “cover crop” is farmer speak for plants that contribute nutrients to the soil. And the soil is the vine’s stomach. By planting cover crops twice a year, we can provide nutrients to our vines organically without the use of chemical fertilizers. Or, to put it more in human terms: “No Coffee – No Workee!”

The next major event will be when the vines flower and (hopefully) set fruit. This is a very important event as it gives us a pretty good idea of when we will be hand harvesting our 2015 vintage. For Pinot Noir in particular, we can add 105 days from flowering to harvest. Then the vines go dormant again, and we get busy in the winery.

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie