Getting Into Spring
the cover crop is growing like weeds in our vineyard - literally
Green, Green, Green
Sitting here an early morning with the rain pouring outside (again). We are now beyond twice the average annual rainfall and although we as farmers will take all the rain we can get it would be nice if it would be over soon. The ranch and vineyard has been holding up just fine and we are excited as we hear the reservoirs are filling up. The same with the aquifer below us although rainwater only penetrates ~50 feet per year into the underground.
The rain sure has shown its impact on the hills and valleys. Green is the color (of her eyes – I have been a Pink Floyd fan since I was 10) right now and with pleasure Rebecca and I notice how the cover crop is lush and tall. We will sure be harvesting so many tons of nitrogen for the soil when we start moving and disking in a few weeks. The vines are gonna love the nutrients!
We already see signs of what will likely be a super bloom as we drive to Los Alamos for our usual weekend visit: The poppies and lupins are starting to color the hills like a soft artists brush stroke. So, even if it pouring right now and Artemis, Apollo and Athena hate it because they are arrested inside, we enjoy it with a smile.
last week: the first bud break in our vineyard. pinot noir clone 667.
It is Happening: First Budbreak
One off my favorite things of the year is to find the first buds opening up. The vines have been gray and dormant since the late fall and now there is a little color showing as the buds change from a fragile pink/white color to show the first bright green leaves. In a couple of months it will all be bright green!
It’s the sign that the “train has left the station” as the vines are starting to develop the tiny shoots that soon will show little clusters. With excitement we are watching the different indicators from the plants that will give us the first idea about this year’s yield. From now on we will always be behind on something that needs to get done with the plants, soil, irrigation system, weather station, tractors….but we love it!
When we run into our farming friends in the valley everyone is now into budbreak-talk. Here at Ampelos we have only seen budbreak on Pinot Noir for now. Our Syrah and Grenache are still dormant and it will be a few weeks before they start waking up. Budbreak is in general late this year – probably two weeks behind average. But still way too early to say if it will be a late harvest – the vines still have a long journey ahead of them.
Blending GoGi 2020 with Kurt
Hitting The Road And Re-Connecting With Friends
So much going on in the valley at this time of the year. Rebecca and I spend a lot of weekends participating in different wine events. Garagiste Wine Festival, World of Pinot Noir, LA Magazine 100 Upcoming Restaurant Celebration, Lompoc Rotary Wine tasting Event… Friends are coming in from near and far to go wine tasting in the valley, hang out at the ranch and give us a hand at the winery.
Last week our good friend Kurt Russell came up to work with us on blending his next vintage, the weekend before Jonathan and Laurie from Smog City spent a Sunday morning with us blending their first piquette and later that day we finished blending decisions for Amber Star/Wildflower Women piquette. A month ago we had our winter release party with new 2022 Viognier and Rose as well as our very special non-vintage (2016-2020) Bacchus Syrah named after our first dog and we raised close to $5000 for a local charity taking care of senior and hard to place dogs. And now I am planning my three week trip to Denmark in April.
Whew…good to be alive! I think I will grab my Jazz Bass and play a little while it keeps pouring.
Pouring our new Funky Town wines at the Garagiste Wine Festival.
Have you tried them?
All the best from Rebecca and Peter.
Be good to yourself and others - and enjoy great wine!
Cheers!