We have two varieties of wine grapes, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, about 100 vines each.  Chardonnay is generally more vigorous and fruitful than Pinot, and about 1-2 weeks earlier in growth.  These vines were all planted in 2001.  In a grape-growing climate, which does not include our Coastal Zone, in a low-yielding vineyard, one would normally expect 4-5 lbs/vine from the Pinot, and perhaps double that from the Chardonnay.  In this vineyard, we are averaging about 0.6 to 0.7 lbs/vine for the Pinot, and 1.8 lbs/vine for the Chardonnay.  The Pinot quality is generally poor, due to inadequate ripening and disease.  The Chardonnay quality is decent.

About 3-4 years ago, we pulled out our two smaller vineyards, reducing our number of vines by 50%.  It was never “a dream” to grow wine grapes.  My knowledge and interest in wine was minimal in 2001.  But, the saying is, if you have land that is otherwise non-agricultural, plant grapes.  Our land was analyzed as 85% sand, classified as a vegetative sand dune.  Grape vines love to grow here, but the dominant marine layer influence with its cold springs and summers, means poor fruit bud formation and poor pollination.

Hence, newly dubbed this last week, “St Jude’s Vineyard.”  St Jude is the Patron of Lost Causes.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

June 30, tomorrow is July.  Pandemic raging. First full change of olive fly yeast traps for front yard (10 trees), hill (6 trees) and gate (3 trees).  I’ve set 17 traps on these 19 trees.  We still have 16 trees in the back orchard with 6 traps set, first time in mid-June, and 2 new traps to add when I reset these mid-July.  These back orchard trees were set later with fewer traps because they wer picked pretty clean in the harvest last fall, and they are generally younger, smaller trees, less history of production and therefore much less infestation. Last week’s weather was remarkable, in that it was a weather pattern we really haven’t seen for some years.  It was cold, in the low 60’s, which was not that unusual, but we had fog coming in everyday around 3 pm and burning off the next day by mid-morning.  Ten years ago I would have said that that was our usual summer pattern, but then it disappeared.  The marine layer would drift in in the late aft...
Read more
St Jude’s Vineyard I am resolved to describing and documenting this farm, so that 5 or 10 years from now it will be fairly simple, and cost effective, to own it and run it, on site or absentee. We have 2.5 acres in Monterey County California.  We have fully landscaped it with dozens of fruit trees and olive trees and a small, 200-vine vineyard.  We’ve been organic farmers and gardeners for 50 years.  We have developed this acreage from obtaining the property, and a newly built house, in 2001. This blog could have been a manual with separate chapters discussing plantings, weather, water, soil, as well as the care and harvesting of grapes, olives, avocados, cherries, apples, etc.  But I think a blog is better.  First, everything is tied up to the seasonal patterns.  Second, what is required in running this farm is specific to the time of year.  Third, I never liked manuals or textbooks, other than for direct reference.  I’ve always been hands ...
Read more
It is mid-June, and the tasks are irrigation, pruning and spraying the grapes, and weed control across the property. I have 19 years of rainfall records for this property.  A good year is 24 to 28 inches is, measured July 1 to June 30, 22-26 inches.  Almost all of our rain falls between October and April.   This year (just now ending), we had 18 inches.  A general rule I’ve heard from a local expert is that 30-35 inches is required for dry farming (i.e., no irrigation).  Of course, that depends on the crop and the soil and the heat-stress weather.  We do pretty well on 25” or so. Fortunately, our two major crops, grapes and olives, do not require a lot of  water even in a dry year.  But we have many trees and bushes, for landscaping as well as food, and 18 or so irrigation/drip lines, so drought years and plant survival are a worry for most of the property, not so much for olives and grapes.
Read more