September 29, 2015
“This week we plan to wrap up harvest in Oakville and all the other AVAs we grow fruit in, too. We will be picking our last two Oakville cabernet sauvignon blocks on Thursday, Oct. 1. The grapes are tasty and sweet, but canopies are starting to tire after a couple of September heat spikes. We are not alone in our timing either. Natalie Jure Buckland of Opus One said that as of the end of last week they had brought in around 70 percent of their fruit.”
— Molly Hodgins, Flora Springs Viticulturist
Read the full article here.
September 25, 2015
“I was cluster sampling some chardonnay at our Lavender Hill vineyard this morning. Crazy year! We are 90% complete with harvest, with only 5 blocks remaining. We still have this one block of chardonnay – that’s a first. We will be picking it on Tuesday.”
— Winemaker Paul Steinauer
September 10, 2015
“Things in Oakville are busy, busy, busy. Weather like this (HOT) limits hang time. Grape sugar levels can get out of hand, and even well-irrigated fruit starts to shrivel. Stacy Vogel of Miner Family will start bringing in Oakville cabernet sauvignon this week, with an eye towards finishing harvest in the next couple weeks. Garrett Buckland of Premiere Viticultural Services says that Accendo Cellars in Oakville is also starting their cabernet harvest this week, along with many of their neighbors. Of course, the merlot harvest is well underway throughout Oakville. At Flora Springs, we hope to start and finish picking our Oakville merlot this week.”
— Molly Hodgins, Flora Springs Viticulturist
Read the full article here.
September 2, 2015
“This week we started picking chardonnay in Oakville. Although our merlot has ripened to a good sugar level, we are waiting for secondary ripeness characters such as thinning skins and dark berry flavors before it gets picked. However, merlot is being harvested from other Oakville sites this week. Yields this year are lighter than average across the board. Flora Springs winemaker Paul Steinauer believes the lighter yields are due in part to the strong yields in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons. Vines will need a break eventually. The uneven weather at bloom further reduced yields by causing berry shatter, when flowers fail to develop berries. This means loose, light clusters which isn’t bad for quality but does reduce yields.”
— Molly Hodgins, Flora Springs Viticulturist
Read the full article here.
September 1, 2015
“Today is the first day of harvesting red grapes – and I believe the first time in the winery’s history that red grapes have been harvested before Labor Day.
We picked the East side of Block B Merlot on the Komes Ranch. This particular block ripens East to West, so we typically pick it in three sections: East, Middle and West – usually about a week apart between picks.
The yields are down this year, as a result of some variation in set due to a cold snap we experienced in May. However, the bumper crops in 2012, 2013, and 2014 may have as much to do with the low yields we are experiencing in 2015 – given the fact that vines don’t typically produce as much fruit after high yield years. The good news is the fact that the quality should be exceptional!”
— Winemaker Paul Steinauer
