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Vineyard

A collection of 408 posts

Refreshingly... brisk? An assessment of the unusual weather of summer 2010

This morning, looking at the fog outside, I changed my plans to take my kids swimming at my parents' house and went to the zoo instead. Even now, at 1:13pm, although the fog has burned off and it's sunny, the temperature at my house in downtown

Grapes of the Rhone Valley: Viognier

Viognier (pronounced VEE-ohn-yay) is the most-planted white Rhone varietal in the United States, and produces wines with intense aromatics of peaches, apricots, and violets, as well as viscosity and lushness on the palate. At Tablas Creek, it takes the lead in our Cotes de Tablas Blanc, and

Early Summer in the Vineyard

I got back this week from two weeks on the east coast, and the vineyard had grown so much in my time away that it was barely recognizable. The weather so far in June has been ideal: lots of days in the 80s, a few in the low 90s but

Grapes of the Rhone Valley: Grenache Noir

Grenache, (also known as Grenache Noir, to distinguish it from its white counterpart Grenache Blanc) is the most widely planted grape in the southern Rhône Valley, and the second most widely planted varietal in the world. It is most often blended (with Syrah and Mourvèdre in France and Australia, and

Why Limestone Matters for Wine Grape Growing

[Editor's Note June 2020: I've written a new version of this blog, taking into account new research and correcting a few areas that I've come to believe were inaccurate or incomplete. Please see Why Calcareous Soils Matter for Vineyards and Wine Grapes.] Winemaker and

Vine Relocation Project

We've gotten approval for our expansion plans, and should start construction sometime in the next week or two. This third and final phase of our building will include more fermentation space, a new room for our foudres, more offices, more and better parking proximate to the tasting room

Vineyard weed control... and introducing the spader, our newest toy

At this time of year, it's essential that we get into the vineyard and complete the long process of knocking down the vineyard weeds so that they don't steal water and other scarce resources from the vines. This is a multi-stage process that takes us

Notes from the Cellar: Biodynamics and crystallization? Yeah, it's new to me too.

by Chelsea Magnusson When I was a student at Cal Poly, my Advanced Viticulture class spent a few lecture sessions on alternative farming methods. In less than five minutes, we were finished with our lesson on biodynamics - it was clear that the professor was not trying to sell the idea.

Grapes of the Rhone Valley: Roussanne

Roussanne, with its honeyed richness and excellent longevity, forms the backbone of our Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc. In addition, it has the balance and character to make a compelling single varietal wine, as in our varietal Roussanne that we've made each year since 2001. The varietal takes its

Whither inexpensive, artisanal California wine?

In early March I was interviewed by Jordan Mackay for an article in the New York Times called "Local Versions of Europe's Everyday Wines". In it, Jordan explored why so few California winemakers were attempting to make inexpensive but artisanal wines that can compete with the