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As we are in the middle of bud break, we are also watching the weather for several important reasons.

• Frost – If it freezes for long enough in our cozy section of Dry Creek Valley (locally known as the Banana Belt), shoots and clusters will wilt and die.  We rely on passive frost protection which worked for 50 years until the Merlot was frozen in Spring 2008.  Pretty good odds so we continue to rely on these methods.
• Cover crop management – Passive frost protection is based on the exposure of soil to the warming rays of the sun.  But not just any soil – the best is dark, wet, firm, exposed soil that can absorb that heat and radiate it back at night.  Keeping our cover crop mowed low is crucial.  But we do need to keep the cover crop viable to help dry out the soil as the rains recede.  We will eventually make mow vs disk decisions depending on rainfall in the next month and the need for competition within each individual block of grapes.
• Mildew pressure – We need to exit this weather pattern to cool, windy days to help remove humidity.  Mildew spores are everywhere and just need the right combination of warmth and humidity to grow.  We started the season with dormant sulfur sprays and will continue to fight this ever present threat this Spring with Stylet oil – a great product approved for use in organic vineyards.

It can sometimes seem like a juggling act with decisions needed for each varietal block but we have been through this many times before and, while we can’t control the weather, we feel confident we can deal with most issues, with frost excluded!

The unusually cool and foggy weather that we have had through July and now into August has origins in a cold Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) says Dr. Greg Jones, professor of climatology from Southern Oregon University, as quoted by Glenn McCourty in “Grounded Grapegrowing” in the August 2009 issue of Wines and Vines.

PDO is a Pacific Ocean weather oscillation, specific to north of 20 degrees north latitude, that involves surface water temperatures.  Warm temperatures in the Eastern Pacific are accompanied by cool temperatures in the Western Pacific or vice versa.  These temperature swings normally vary over decades.

The Pacific Coast climate is affected by both PDO and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). ENSO involves a larger swath of the earth and includes ocean temperatures and atmospheric changes. ENSO El Nino and La Nina changes are responsive to temperature changes in waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Finally, an explanation that makes sense! When a cold PDO brings cooler and drier-than-normal weather to California AND ENSO is in the La Nina phase, this results in cold springs, and cooler-than-normal growing seasons. La Nina influences are weakening and the forecast is that we will return to a “neutral” pattern later this year.

ONLINE ENOLOGY CLASSES:

UCDAVIS: The innovative Certificate Program in Winemaking for Online Learners is the product of a partnership between the world-renowned Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis and UC Davis Extension, the continuing education branch of UC Davis. The certificate program is designed for individuals employed in the wine industry around the world who cannot attend courses at UC Davis, but who wish to understand the science of wine production and how to apply that science in their winery. Program includes: Introduction to Winemaking, Wine Production, Quality Control and Analysis in Winemaking, Wine Stability and Sensory Analysis, and Viticulture for Winemakers. The classes are graded and rigorous, as are the courses within the degree program, but the online classes are somewhat less focused on theory and assume that the student has some practical experience in wine production. When successfully completed, these courses lead to a certificate in winemaking and cannot be applied to a degree program at Davis or elsewhere. Prices range from $650 to $2000 per class.

UC Davis Extension Certificate Program Link

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY: Lots of online classes through Washington State University including: Wine Production, Wine Chemistry, Enology-Viticulture Interface, Winery Equipment, Sanitation in the Winery, Wine Microbiology, Wine Sensory Evaluation and Economics of Starting a Winery.  Ranging in price from $75 to $400, these lectures are taken from the very popular certificate program offered by the university.  Study at home at your own pace with no exams. The downside is no instructor interaction and no certificate when complete.

Washingto State University Self-Directed Courses Link

WINE SPECTATOR TASTING SCHOOL: “Whether you’re starting to learn about wine or you’ve been collecting for years, our on-line courses take your wine education to the next level.  Learn to get more out of each sip and share step-by-step tastings with friends.”  Courses include: ABCs of Wine Tasting, Understanding Wine, Wine and Food Pairing, Sensory Evaluation, and more.  Prices range from $39 to $149.

Wine Spectator School Link

Mark your calendars for a new event from the Winegrowers of Dry Creek!  Called Zintopia, the event will take place on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH from 2pm to 7pm.

Experience the aura of harvest under the sweeping arches of a traditional open-air festival tent at the First Annual ZinTopia.

• Wander through the pastoral artisan market featuring local olive oils, jams and honey, fresh produce,
  locally made sweets, hand-made soaps and crafts, and valley grown wild flowers.
• Meet the owners and winemakers from more than 30 of Dry Creek Valley’s
  multi-generational, boutique, family-owned wineries.
• Move to the music of Sonoma County’s celebrated SoulShine Blues Band.
• Get the juices flowing in the harvest grape stomp – a Dry Creek Valley harvest tradition!
• Get Zin-Smart at this focused Zinfandel tasting and pick up new facts to apply while savoring the showcased wines.
• Lounge under the trees with your favorite wine and edible delights while soaking up the live sounds of blues music.
• Discover quintessential Dry Creek Valley wines and celebrate harvest 2009!

At the northern end of scenic Dry Creek Valley
Lake Sonoma Warm Springs Recreation Area, 3333 Skaggs Springs Road – click here for map

Click here for Tickets: $75 – Tickets are limited!

The weather this year has been quite unusual, but in a good way. Normally, we swing from quite warm days into quite cool and foggy days as our little valley is quite influenced by the Pacific Ocean via the Russian River.  This year the grapegrowing season has been especially cool.  This leads to the gradual accumulation of great aromas and flavors and we are quite excited to see the grapes continue to slowly mature.

How can it be August already?  Time flies during the summer growing season as we are constantly working in the vineyard.  Whether moving our trellis system wires up to contain and focus growth upwards or directing wayward shoots back into the trellis system; counting clusters and removing those lagging behing the rest; or watching our vine water status with our pressure bomb, the tasks never end until harvest!

Welcome to the the Tzabaco Rancho Vineyards grapegrowing blog. Our vineyards are located in the heart of the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County and we are proud to produce great wine grapes using sustainable winegrowing practices. Established in 1856, our family owned vineyard produces premium winegrapes for a number of major wineries and an enthusiastic clientele of home winemakers. Whether you are a new to winemaking or a veteran winemaker, our grapes should provide a solid foundation for your 2009 vintage wines!

My name is Janice Schmidt and I am a a UC Davis trained enologist, who worked for Jordan Vineyard and Winery for 20 years before retiring. I have fun guiding home winemakers in the complex yet rewarding process of making wine.  I hope to use this blog to pass on interesting news about grapegrowing and winemaking gleaned from many different sources to elucidate and educate.

It is still too early to predict when harvest will begin this year. For red grapes, harvest generally begins about six weeks after full veraison (when the grapes turn fully purple). Due to a cooler normal Spring and Summer, as well as significant fog from the California coast, the ripening process is slow yet steady. Due to a three year drought in Northern California, the berries on the clusters are slightly smaller than normal. This generally means that berry flavors are more intense, rich and flavorful. Why? Berry skins contain the flavor compounds that make red wine – the more skin to less juice concentrates flavors.