Shoot Thinning
“Green work” is the term winegrowers use to describe the hand work that is done during the growing season.
Read MoreBee Still My Heart
The French have a saying that the best thing to leave behind in a vineyard is a footprint. Good winegrowers walk their vines regularly. The technical word for this is "scouting". If a disease or insect infestation is caught early it can be mitigated. If boots aren't on the ground regularly it could be too late.
Read MoreSpotted Lanternflies have hatched
This week the Spotted Lanternflies (SLF) hatched. Tiny nymphs are crawling everywhere on the vines. They are actually kind of pretty. But they also suck. They feed on vine sap with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Because they are so small at this stage of their development they don't do much damage. At least that is what we are told by the entomologists.
Read MoreHot and Dry
Hot and dry is not normal for this time of the year. The vines are doing quite well with even growth, an abundant potential crop, and little disease pressure. But one can’t help from wondering how the rest of the season will unfold given the weather extremes of our new climate.
Read MoreBud Break kicks off vintage 2024
Bud break is our official start of the growing season. And it is happening right now. We are early by a week. The tender buds are now frost susceptible. This means that any early morning temperature below 29°F will reduce our yields. Meteorology has now regained more significance in our lives.
Read MoreFirst Berry Sampling of 2023
Yesterday we sampled Avenius and Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc berries. In the lab, Shari extracted about 200mls of juice and ran analysis for sugar, pH, and TA (titratable acidity). Jim then did an aroma and palate evaluation. We are now tracking ripening. In many ways this is the start of crush 2023.
Read MoreVéraison
Véraison is the vine development stage that signals the beginning of ripening. The berries start to sweeten up. You can taste varietal flavors. Most dramatically, there is also a color change. It is very evident in the reds, but the white fruited varieties also shift from deep green to yellow.
Read MoreDry
How do you know when you are in a drought? When a winegrower hopes for rain. It has been almost six weeks since our last significant rainfall. The hit and miss thunderstorms have consistently missed Linden.
Read MoreCluster Thinning
It is dry, very dry. No appreciable rainfall for nearly a month. However, with a few exceptions the vines look great. Shoot growth is slowing and the canopy remains green and vibrant. Remember that grapevines originate from the Mediterranean where it rarely rains in the summer.
Read MoreA Dry July Means Small Berries
It has been over three weeks since we have seen a measurable rain. Hit or miss thunderstorms have missed Linden so far.
Read MoreRoses at the ends of vineyard rows
In the mid-1800s horticulturalists started exchanging exotic plant species across the Atlantic.
Read MoreHens and Chicks
We are observing a first potential issue in Chardonnay. Some berries are not enlarging as they should, while others are normal
Read MoreDry Weather
The vines are green and growing, but the grass and cover crops are looking thirsty.
Read MoreEasy Spring
What a fabulous start to vintage 2023. Cool and very dry conditions have tempered vine growth to a very manageable pace.
Read MoreThe Lanternfly has arrived at Hardscrabble Vineyard
While working the vines we discovered these Spotted Lanternfly nymphs. The nymphs don’t do any damage to the vines. But the adults will suck sap from the succulent vine shoots. We expect to see them later this summer.
Read MoreBlooms
The first blooms have appeared in Chardonnay. The timing seems about average. Once 50% of the flowers have opened the date will be recorded and we can compare this year’s progress to past vintages. At this writing it is raining.
Read MoreFlush of Green
The transition from shoot thinning to shoot positioning and tying has begun. Our marathon of canopy management will continue until early July.
Read More