Vineyard from our deck showing netting.
Missoula Vinyard
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A true bird's eye view. Hope they are discouraged and leave you alone this year.
This shows some of the Foch that is turning. And, the second picture shows how I've clipped my 17' wide netting from the bottom. I found by experience I cannot just let it lie on the ground. The birds just burrow under it so the bread clips - those white things you see in the picture - are clipped on the netting after I roll the two sides together.
A New Year!
No global warming in Montana!
I thought I'd give an update for "Montana Day" - that's 4/06 by the way.
Finished first pruning on March 19
Sap running nicely but has slowed since more snow as recently as Monday of this week - but then sun shining by evening. it's still the Last Best Place!
No global warming in Montana!
I thought I'd give an update for "Montana Day" - that's 4/06 by the way.
Finished first pruning on March 19
Sap running nicely but has slowed since more snow as recently as Monday of this week - but then sun shining by evening. it's still the Last Best Place!
My buds all look good, but I have not pruned things yet. I am very worried about bud break and frost. Last year we had a killing deep freeze on May 15. Our buds are now starting to swell a bit and I'm worried. I am holding off pruning in an attempt to keep the buds close to the spur dormant for a while longer.
Brix at 22, frost is on the way, but a spectacular October Sunday made it time to harvest - a few pictures to show. For those who haven't followed, this is a small, backyard, roughly 30 vine vineyard with mostly Foch and Millot, 5 Pinot Noir and 4 Reisling vines, and 1 lonely Edelweiss. About 115 pounds of reds, and 15 pounds of reisling. That may yield about 45 bottles of red and maybe we'll get a gallon of resiling - as my Dad always used to say, "We'll see!"The view of the vineyard from the deck gives it the name - Farviews Vineyard. The rest is just the day's fun.
The View... Far to the west of Missoula, Montana
Looking good Dave! Good looking crew as well!
Nice
that's a unique spread of vine choices being I'm in a cool part of California I had different vine choices than most other california vineyards. Barbera and nebbiolo which I planted are frowned upon and disliked by every winemaker in California. But I think that I'll do better because I'm coastal, cool climate and maritime in Sandy soil like where the grapes are in itsly. So key is replicating the growing climate especially for nebbiolo which is one of the pickiest grapes you would ever be able to grow.
Spring in Montana - at least in Missoula - has been really late. This is the latest bud-break since I've planted the vineyard and things are still slow. First 70* days were in the last week.
The first picture is Marachal Foch, second is Leon Millot, the third is Pinot Noir. My single edelweiss is bud-swell, none have broken as are my few vines of Reisling. It's going to be an interesting year!
As I have said many times when people ask why I grow grapes in Montana, I smile and say, "I'm betting on global warming!" But, it seems like it has been pretty similar each year. We'll see how things catch up in the next few weeks.
-Dave
The first picture is Marachal Foch, second is Leon Millot, the third is Pinot Noir. My single edelweiss is bud-swell, none have broken as are my few vines of Reisling. It's going to be an interesting year!
As I have said many times when people ask why I grow grapes in Montana, I smile and say, "I'm betting on global warming!" But, it seems like it has been pretty similar each year. We'll see how things catch up in the next few weeks.
-Dave
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montanarick
Senior Member
I'm up near Kalispell and my vines have broke this past Sunday - pretty much in line with previous years.
HillPeople
Senior Member
All our vines are still sleeping here in N. Sandwich, NH. Elevation 1300'. Cold and wet spring so far.
Picture from this morning.
Picture from this morning.
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Mine are awake and seeking attention. If it would just dry out a little. I didn't envision working the vineyard in muck boots to keep my socks dry ;-)
MontanaRick - we lived in the Flathead before moving to Missoula 17 years ago - as this thread shows (e.g: posts 384 and 394 for last few years) mostly bud-break here at my location just off the valley floor in south hills is third-fourth week of April. The biggest concern has always been a frost in the first week of May that catches the leaves. We have had some cold lows last winter with a late spring, and I think there has been some bud-kill. On the other hand, the last below freezing overnight low was on May 1st at 29* officially but 33* here at our place. This year just seems to have been later, IMO. Two weeks behind can make the difference between brix in the fall from mid-20s to 15-18... #justsayin!
montanarick
Senior Member
I hear ya!
BitterrootGirl
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Dave, I'm happy to hear your Pinot Noir survived this crazy winter! Did all your vines survive?
MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE PICKED YESTERDAY....
Watched our weather system move in - the snow was forecast to start tonight - Sunday night - not Sunday morning and since we had high winds yesterday I thought I'd have a window to pick them cold, and dry this morning. All ready for a great cold soak start!
Nope! I was just trying to get the brix up a little higher. Reds are highs of 21, averaging about 18 1/2 in my sample. You can't see it in this picture but the snow is light and fine - only a half inch on my deck rail - which is the big white slash on the lower right of this picture. Of course MontanaRick (further north) may have far greater problems than this and BitterrootGirl (further south) may be sipping cocoa by the fire!
As everyone who has tried to produce a crop has said before, "It is what it is...."
Watched our weather system move in - the snow was forecast to start tonight - Sunday night - not Sunday morning and since we had high winds yesterday I thought I'd have a window to pick them cold, and dry this morning. All ready for a great cold soak start!
Nope! I was just trying to get the brix up a little higher. Reds are highs of 21, averaging about 18 1/2 in my sample. You can't see it in this picture but the snow is light and fine - only a half inch on my deck rail - which is the big white slash on the lower right of this picture. Of course MontanaRick (further north) may have far greater problems than this and BitterrootGirl (further south) may be sipping cocoa by the fire!
As everyone who has tried to produce a crop has said before, "It is what it is...."
montanarick
Senior Member
Well... We were planning a Harvest Fest for next Sunday ( Oct. 6th) but alas Mother Nature has intervened. While the temperature logger in the vineyard showed that it got down to 28°for an hour or so last night, the forecast is for lows down to 25°Monday night/Tuesday morning. Since, I don't see Brix improving between now and then, we've decided to pick today and keep the grapes on cold storage for a couple of days before crushing - that at least will take the pressure off the wines before the leaves fall. Brix was checked this morning with the following averages: Marquette - 20.3; Frontenac Blanc - 21.1; Frontenac Gris - 22.9; Petite Pearl - 16.3; Frontenac Noir - 23
Oh, good luck all of you MT vintners. Keeping our fingers crossed.
