Set Backs Are A Good Thing

On Friday we were surprised with about an inch of rainfall. Based on area reports it seemed to be

isolated to the Elmira area. In a cold year this would certainly be a set back. As I went out on Sunday for my daily tasting of our grapes I noticed that some of the flavors of last week were a little muted. That's what happens this time of year with rain. With rain the grapes get set back from picking a little bit. They lose a little sugar, a little acid, and most importantly a little flavor. However, with the proper protections in place we can avoid the other things that rain brings, like hungry birds and botrytis mildew.

So, when can getting set back be a good thing? This year. With record breaking heat in July we need Mother Nature to deliver a cooler September and  "pump the brakes" on the heat units. This gives all the varietals some much needed "hang time" in the vineyard to develop flavors. While we don't want to see an inch of rain every week, we do like the cooler temperatures. Last year, Mother Nature refused to lay off on the heat in September and brought us instead an earlier harvest than expected. This year, with the extended hang time into late September and early October (for Riesling) we may be looking at wines that will go down in Willamette Valley history as being some of the best ever produced from this region!

Our vineyard crew and winemaking team will be posting on our Facebook page as we work through our 21st harvest here at LaVelle Vineyards. That's the place this year to get all of your necessary updates for all of you harvest watchers out there!