Windsor Vineyard

Everybody seems to be making an effort to 'get back to normal' this week. We resumed our weekly visits to Kathy after we were both evacuated from our homes last week....both she and Moises, who came to wash our windows yesterday, live in Windsor which was saved by an army of firefighters who made a stand in the foothills and saved the town. 

We pass the vineyard in today's picture on the way. It doesn't show up too well on these old head pruned vines, but they are still full of grapes. You can see them if you look in large. They probably will be left on the vine this year since they are probably smoke tainted and can't be made into wine*.

The picture in extras was taken not far from our house with the Mayacamas Mountains. This section of hills is still recovering from the Nun's fire of 2017. The grapes on these vines show up more since they were cane pruned and trained along wires. They are probably valuable cabernet grapes  and wouldn't still be on the vines unless they have tested positive for smoke taint.

It's sad to think of all the effort that has been lavished on these vines in order to encourage fruit growth only to have to leave the resulting fruit on the vine. As with so many agricultural products there is a fine line between climate, and intervention. Climate and  temperature affect the whole cycle from bud break through veraison (when the grapes begin to turn color), picking and pruning. Pruning for next year's crop will probably begin in a couple of months when the plants are completely dormant. 

*Perhaps it's time for some winemakers to consider making smoky wines. The Germans even have a name for it...they call it 'rauchwein'.  The Scots also have a name for smoky  whiskey...it's called Laphroaig. The grains that go into it are often dried over peat fires....