Winter News from the Vineyard
The last of the winter chores were done after harvest, to put the vineyard to bed for the winter. The bird netting and shade cloth used for last harvest’s protection have been rolled up, marked with the row number, and put into the barn for storage until next summer. Compost has been shoveled onto the base of each vine and straw spread across the vine rows to prevent any erosion during the winter rains.
With over 25 inches of rain this season already recorded as of March, (agricultural rain seasons in CA go from October – May), we are feeling very comfortable with the amount of water available to the newly budding vines and future access for growth in the spring and summer. There has been steady rainfall since December, in both gushing Pineapple Expresses coming from a warm Pacific storm, and cooler, constant Arctic drizzle for weeks adding slowly to the water table…. and the season still has 3 months of possible rain to continue! We have had many drought seasons where we struggled to receive only 15 inches, so this abundance is comforting.
Vineyards go dormant after their harvest and beautiful fall display of colorful leaves, and don’t bud out for the following vintage until the soil and air temperatures warm, usually about the end of March. But there is a fine line when the vines should be pruned, not wanting to cut them back too soon in the year which might encourage budding out at the slightest warmth, which may be followed by a devastating frost which could kill the buds and severely limit the crop. On the other hand, vineyard crews need to pace their activities based on the numbers of acres/ranches they must prune before the entire valley buds out! While frost is still an issue for many vineyards, especially on low spots on the valley floor or at higher, chilly altitudes on Howell Mountain, needing wind machines or rain birds to detour the cold air, our vineyard has always received a lovely breeze from the Chalk Hill gap in the north that warms the night air and keeps the frost from settling on and possibly damaging our vines. (knock on wood!)
But with some of the bigger storms came massive winds and further moisture, which toppled many of the trees whose roots were already saturated. The access gate blew open and lost many supports, requiring both the electrician and gate installer to repair it. Many of the fire-damaged trees just snapped 20 feet from the ground! Several Douglas Firs landed right on the corner of the upper vineyard, while other trees and branches blew over onto the fencing. Three very dedicated vineyard guys worked almost a week to clean it all up, with chainsaws, shovels and pruning shears, to repair the vines and structures, end posts and wires in the vineyard and fencing along two sides of the vineyard.
We received and planted more wildflower seeds from the Monarch and More Butterfly program, which were spread along the vine rows and surrounding hillside and covered with straw in the fall. We also received several dozen additional native plants from another Napa RCD grant and planted them adjacent to the others we had received from Xerces to expand our pollinator landscaping. Even yummy Miner’s lettuce has continued to grow in patches of moist soil. Several of the original natives, planted in 2022, as well thousands of the Calendula and CA poppy seeds, have spread throughout the vineyard and continue to bloom and feed bumblebees, bugs and hummingbirds throughout the winter, and we couldn’t be happier for helping to bring back the natives!
Vintner Extraordinaire
