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Turning Point

The growing season has kept with the slower-than-average development we have seen all year but we have finally reached our turning point!  Last week, veraison finally began in the vineyards.  Mind you, it has only started in Sangiovese, Syrah, and Viognier, but at least we finally have a countdown clock to harvest started!  At this point, it looks as if we will harvest our first grapes at the end of August…at the earliest.

Sangiovese grapes just starting veraison

We just gave the vineyards the Marie Kondo (the queen of de-cluttering) treatment and finished de-clumping last week.  De-clumping removes clusters that are too close together or have poor fruit set.

Got to drop some fruit for the overall good of the product

Next week, we will continue to fine-tune things by removing clusters that aren’t ripening fast enough.  We want the fruit to ripen at the same time for consistency, so if a cluster is lagging, then it is (green) dropped.  Definitely don’t want to be the tortoise in this scenario.

A nice, de-clutterd -er- de-clumped vine.  Marie Kondo would approve

By the time I roll out the August post, we should have a better idea of how the 2019 harvest is going to play out!