2017 in the vineyard

[ceeaton]

I picked 1vine of Syrah two weeks ago between 22 and 24 brix. I picked one of three Cabernet today. My other two are a couple weeks behind. 22 pounds off the one.

That looks like some pretty nice looking fruit. Congratualations!

I'm feeling some grape envy towards you...Father forgive my sins as you have done on an hourly basis ...

 

[Kraffty]

My debate is whether to ferment the cab, maybe 70 lbs for three or four gallons or add a lug of bought grapes for six gallons.

 

[ceeaton]

My debate is whether to ferment the cab, maybe 70 lbs for three or four gallons or add a lug of bought grapes for six gallons.

You could always do them separate and try a bench blend later to see if you like that better or if your grapes are better left alone. I'd personally leave them be so I could say that I grew these (etc. etc.). I guess I need to go to church tomorrow to work on a few things...

 

[balatonwine]

The red grapes are all on only ONE Overgrown vine. So right away I have zero expectations They are looking healthy though.
- Brix 15%.
-ph 3.5
-veraison in 100%
-seeds light colored. Green/white
- stems bright green
-taste sweet low on acidity.

Wait. But keep an eye on the pH. If it goes above 3.6, I would harvest regardless what the brix is. As you know, sugar is easy to add, adjusting acidity is a bit more work.

Whites

Brix 17-18%
Ph 3.6
Seeds brown
Stems brown
Taste good. Lots of flavor.

.

Harvest now. The seeds and stems alone say so. The pH is already too high for a white. Ignore the grape brix, it really is not that important when all other indicators say to harvest. Just add sugar to the must.

 

[Johny99]

Quoting myself, because I was right.

My Turán got about as ripe as it would this week. And to avoid pulling in over ripe grapes later, and with a storm coming tonight, I made the call to harvest today.

Wow, that is early. What are your final numbers?

 

[balatonwine]

Wow, that is early. What are your final numbers?

Everything is a week or two early this year. Last year, everything was a week or two late.

Turán has been an incredibly difficult grape for me, and I planted it because it was suppose to be an easy grape to cultivate (the complete opposite of my Pinot Noir which I planted to be a challenge and it grows and ripens without too much trouble at all). That said, my Turán reached about 19 brix two weeks ago and pretty much stayed there, with the pH steady creeping up. Then within two days the pH shot up fast, probably because we had another few days of very hot weather. So fast that I could not call the harvest fast enough. That the final cellar crush numbers were brix 20.0 and the pH 3.6.

Meanwhile, my Welschriesling is the complete opposite, stuck at pH 3.0 for the last week, with a steadily climbing brix from 17.6 a week ago, to 19.8 today. More warm weather coming next week (after tonight's thunder storm -- we have had more than normal number of those as well -- probably also due to the hot weather), so expect that pH to also shoot up fast as well soon.

Has been a great growing season, but the harvest is happening unexpected and too suddenly for many growers here to react. Was talking to another grower yesterday, and he wanted to harvest today, but could not get a crew until next weekend.

 

[semenn]

Today I cut off an extra leaf around the grapes and made measurements. Marquett and Mukuzani matured the most. 19-22Brix. The rest of the grapes are not yet ready. I do not plan to harvest until the end of September.

 

[UBB]

My Marquette and LaCrescent measured (ave) 23 & 22 respectively. Aiming for the wk-end of the 9th to do my crush. It's been a poor year due to winter and spring issues so the fruit set is very poor. Such is live as a grape grower on the Northern Plains

 

[Johny99]

Back from camping and the eclipse in central Idaho. Vineyard is looking pretty good. Color is deepening and flavors are developing. I haven't checked numbers yet, maybe Monday. Warm days, ~95F, and cool nights, ~45F, are supposed to continue for the next couple of weeks. Looks like it might be another long fall. I did some leaf pulling on the north side of the older, 9 years, vines to get more sun to the clusters.

 

[Boatboy24]

95F and 45F!!?? Geez!, talk about temp swings.

Fantastic eclipse pic, by the way.

 

[Johny99]

Sugars are climbing. So far bird pressure has been light, which is good as I haven't been able to get all the nets on. Darn day jobs! We have a bunch of Egyptian doves hanging around, showed up for the first time this year. I hope they don't like grapes.

Got the "crush pad", driveway in front of my shop, cleaned up and the crusher and press out of storage. I'm out of town till Friday, but it looks like I'll pick the early whites Saturday. Best part of the year is starting

 

[Johny99]

95F and 45F!!?? Geez!, talk about temp swings.

Fantastic eclipse pic, by the way.

Can't take credit for the eclipse pic. Friend with a real camera got that one.

 

[BlueStimulator]

I checked the good clusters of Viognier (sans powdery mildew) and had a brix of 22 and the ph shot up like a rocket in 5 days to 3.54. The ph and brix from 5 days ago was 20.8 and 3.34. 'Alas not enough vio clusters to make it worth while and reds are toast (PM). When I was by the pool I forgot I had a left over Cab S that has grown wild for 3 years and the few cluster it had look awesome. I may have to practice on those clusters to get more info for my journal. Every thing is 2-3 weeks earlier than last year which was my first harvest. Last year leaf hoppers, this year PM. Live and learn as they say!!!

 

[UBB]

Got the grapes picked and crushed this wk-end. The Marquette came in with a 25.5 Brix average and the La Crescent averaged 24.

 

[Johny99]

Wow, fall arrived with gusto. Highs in the 60s, lows around 40 and a bit of rain. Sugars actually dropped a bit with the rain. Thus, didn't have a harvest party this weekend. Supposed to warm up this week, in the 70s today. That should move things along.

Tempranillo has me grumbling as usual. Sugar is only 19.2 Brix but pH is up to 3.66 already. I've never gotten a big red from it, but then again I'm sipping a glass of 2013 as my lovely bride makes pasta. That one was 22.5 and 3.56 at harvest

 

[Johny99]

I thought I’d finish whites, Pinot Blanc and Riesling, this weekend and early reds, Merlot and Tempranillo. However, with the cool weather, I’m going to wait. Highs the next week plus are supposed to be in the 60-70s. Hopefully that will be enough to get some sugars and we can pick next Saturday. So far my highest is 21.6. Trouble is my fall travel schedule is starting. Makes it hard to do punchdowns when you are gone. Hopefully between my wife, undergoing radiation treatments and my sister-in-law, disabled with a bad back, they can keep up with my bad habits

 

[Stressbaby]

Some pics from yesterday. These vines went in this spring. Some of them have grown 6+ foot long bilateral cordons on the top wire. I'm seriously considering letting some of them produce some grapes next year to "devigor" them. Pic #1 Vidal Blanc on left, grafted Chardonel foreground, Traminette background on the right. Pic #2 and #3 is Traminette. I'm hold a spur 2' down the cordon with 20+ nodes on it.

 

[balatonwine]

@Stressbaby, just curious, how do you keep your aisles tilled? They look really nice.

 

[Stressbaby]

@Stressbaby, just curious, how do you keep your aisles tilled? They look really nice.

They aren't tilled. I treated the rows before I planted this spring with Roundup and since then just Roundup spot treatments and a weedeater (both very carefully!).

 

[Johny99]

Big day Saturday. 18 friends and four dogs came to pick. My lovely bride made snack lunch to feed the crowd. Picked just about 1000 lbs; Pinot Blanc and Riesling we’re crushed and pressed; merlot, Syrah (430 lbs) and Sangiovese crushed and cold soaking. We also crushed and pressed ~200 lbs of apples for cider.

Yesterday I inoculated the cider and whites. I’m off to Atlanta till Thursday so I’m going to let the reds cold soak. I hit each brute with a tsp of meta. Highs are supposed to be mid 60s and lows around 40 so hopefully the shop will stay cool. My wife will gently press down once a day to keep the cap wet. I do have a window a/c unit with an auto cycle that should come on if it gets above 60, I hope.