The Wine Knows - viticulture

Vineyard update with Charlie Hoppes

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:42:02 -0400

We recently got out in the vineyard with Charlie Hoppes, owner/winemaker for Fidelitas Wines on Washington's Red Mountain. In this wide-ranging interview, we talked about the state of the vineyards after a cool spring, Goose Ridge Winery's latest project, Charlie's move away from Syrah and the upcoming harvest.

Thin to win

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:48:18 -0400

Melissa and I spent a good deal of time Sunday afternoon untangling our nine Sangiovese vines in the backyard. Now in our fifth season with these vines, I've come to the conclusion that growing Sangiovese in no way reveals a prowess for having a green thumb. These things will grow regardless of how much time and effort you put into them.

Vineyards still catching up

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:29:40 -0400

Summer has definitely arrived in Washington's Columbia Valley, as we've enjoyed several days of triple-digit temperatures. Yet June was cooler than normal, with an average of 67 degrees - about a degree below the norm.

How cool is this?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:12:22 -0400

How cool has 2008 been in Washington's Columbia Valley? Let's just say that we're partying like it's 1999.

According to Washington State University's viticulture data center, 2008 has received the same amount of accumulated heat so far as 1999, which was one of the coolest years in recent history.

Flowering vineyard

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:38:23 -0400

As my daughter and I played in the backyard this evening, I noticed flowers emerging on my humble Brunello clone Sangiovese vines.

With as cool as we've been this spring, I figured flowering would be a bit late, but it seems it's the same time as last year. Apparently, the first week in June also is when Sangiovese flowers in Chianti Classico, Montilcino and Montepulciano, the vines' ancestral home.

How far behind are NW vineyards?

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:33:08 -0400

This year's cool spring continues (we got a big, unusual dump of heavy rain today, reminding more of my days living in Bellingham than here in the Columbia Valley), and more than a few wineries are getting nervous.

Grape source for home winemakers

Fri, 23 May 2008 17:45:24 -0400

Several weeks ago, a reader emailed me wondering about wine grape sources for home winemakers. I replied that there was a vineyard in Washington's Columbia Valley that specialized in that area. For the life of me, I could not recall the name of the vineyard.

When I finally did a couple of days ago, I couldn't find the email address of the reader. I can only hope he reads the blog.

Leonetti tests grafted vines in Washington

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:31:24 -0400

I'll try not to get all viti-geeky on you here, but this is very significant: A few weeks ago, I chatted with Chris Figgins of Leonetti Cellar in Walla Walla, Wash., about a wide number of subjects. One that came up was working with grafted vines. Whoa!

Bringing the heat

Sat, 17 May 2008 16:50:33 -0400

Have we all finally emerged from one of the coolest springs on record? One would think so throughout the Northwest, which is basking in warm temperatures.

Here in the heart of Washington's Columbia Valley, we're enjoying our third straight day of temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Today, we're expected to hit triple digits. Vines that were slow to emerge because of cool temperatures (heck, it snowed a week ago on Snoqualmie Pass), surely are catching up right now.

Vineyard coming along

Sun, 04 May 2008 18:58:33 -0400

Today has been blissfully sunny and warm, with temperatures in the mid-70s and nary a cloud in the sky over Washington's Columbia Valley.

In my humble but growing backyard vineyard, nine of my 10 Brunello clone Sangiovese vines are leafing out quite nicely. The 10th is just finally showing full bud break but is a good two weeks behind the others. Odd. Nine of the vines are entering their fifth leaf, and the 10th (though not the one slow in leafing out) is a cutting from late 2006 that I planted last spring.

Snow on Red Mountain?

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:58:48 -0400

I received reports this afternoon of light snow falling on Washington's Red Mountain, continuing the cold and bizarre weather the Columbia Valley has been receiving.

This morning's overnight lows dipped into the high 20s, though a cloud cover prevented too much frost from occurring. Tonight, temperatures are expected to reach as low as 27 degrees, with frost warnings in the low-lying areas.

Buds breaking - and growers are nervous

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:58:05 -0400

I'm looking out at my little backyard vineyard and seeing the start of green leaves pushing through the buds on my Sangiovese vines. This should be typical because Washington wine country normally has bud break around April 15.

Yet growers are concerned. Overnight temperatures are expected to dip below freezing this weekend. There is talk that the Cascades will get snow. It's been a weirdly cool spring so far in Washington's Columbia Valley.

Buds look ready to burst in Columbia Valley

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:15:37 -0400

I checked my backyard Sangiovese vines this morning, and the buds are swelling and look ready to burst. Bud break marks the beginning of the new vintage, which will last through October.

Usually, bud break occurs around April 15 in Washington's Columbia Valley. Winter and spring have been relatively cool, so I suspect most varieties will stay on that schedule.

Bizarre weather in Washington wine country

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:46:15 -0400

We are in an odd stretch of weather here in the heart of Washington's Columbia Valley. It was consistently in the 50s and even 60s for several days before turning rather cool Thursday. On Friday, we had snow. Snow! At the end of March! It was just flurries that lasted for two hours, then the temperatures warmed into the 40s. Today, we have a chilly wind driving through the region.

Best places for Syrah in Washington

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:59:11 -0400

It's been more than 20 years since Mike Sauer and David Lake planted the first Syrah in Washington. Sauer, the owner of Red Willow Vineyard in the western Yakima Valley, and Lake, then winemaker for Columbia Winery, decided to give the red Rhone variety a chance.