Weather & Climate

Last week, we saw budbreak in our Grenache, Grenache Blanc and Viognier blocks.  This week, it's been joined by most of the other grapes, with only Roussanne and Mourvedre still fully dormant.  It won't be more than another week or two before they look like the

Since last Wednesday, we've received 5.71 inches of glorious rain.  It was nicely spread out, starting with two inches the first day, followed by thirteen hundredths the next, then another two inches Friday, another inch Saturday, and finally a half-inch yesterday.  That meant it nearly all soaked

Yesterday, we got about half an inch of rain.  That may not seem like much, but it was most welcome, and along with a similar storm last weekend provided a marked change from the weeks of sun and warmth that preceded them.  We're still securely in a serious

This morning I arrived at the vineyard to find a landscape encased in frost: This was the fourth time in five nights we've gotten down into the teens.  The one night we didn't freeze we received about six-tenths of an inch of rain.  Between the cold

Our recent heat wave has finally broken.  Today's high was 82°, and it's already dropped a few degrees since then as a brisk on-shore breeze has picked up.  This is a welcome change from recent days, the last eight of which all topped out at 95°

With the last two weeks of warm weather, the vineyard has sprung out of dormancy.  Starting with Viognier, Grenache and Grenache Blanc, budbreak proceeds through Syrah, Marsanne and Picpoul, and eventually finishes with Roussanne and Mourvedre.  The photo below, of a Grenache vine from last week, is typical: With budbreak