Getting ready for spring!

It seems odd to say that in December but as we wrap up this year, we are already doing the planning for 2013.  2012 was our first full harvest and we have learned a lot from this harvest.  Challenged by the drought and the full fruit we carried, we are going to be extra careful with pruning decisions this year and we start that in about two months.  As much as we are loving this unseasonably lovely weather, we would like moisture to replenish the ground and the ponds.  In the winery, we are working on barreling (Seyval is now in the barrels) and blending trials.  While we try to keep the flavour profiles similar to the blends we have today, we do want to celebrate each vintage and what the grapes are imparting so if you love the blends, be sure to try them again. 

Where did the summer go?

The last blog was about an early spring.  That is nothing compared to the early harvest we are facing!  What a year.  Where did the summer go?  Oh we know, it is still 100+ out there and summer for intensive purposes but the grapes have moved along fast this year and we are in a early harvest situation.  We have already harvested one varietal and will harvest two additional varieties in August.  This will be an interesting year to watch the harvest and the wineries. 

Lots of new challenges (and opportunities).  Will we get the same amount of juice?  Will the flavors be more concentrated?  What happens if we now get rain?  How about the birds - they are already present in the vineyards this year?  Will the chemistry be the same or will we face new challenges?  Will vineyards drop the fruit to save the vines?  Will anyone risk a 'late harvest'?  If vineyards choose to let the fruit hang longer, will we have higher alcohol wines due to the higher brix?  Will there be a shortage of grapes?

Stay tuned - the ride is about to start....

Early Spring in the Vineyards

What a strange start to this year’s growing season.  Not exactly your normal March in the Midwest - nineteen days over 70 degrees (nine over 80) plus enough rain to replenish the unusually low irrigation ponds.  With that combination, the vines got off to an early start while the native grasses and our ground cover started growing like crazy also.  This is the earliest we’ve needed to be out moving and shoot thinning since we started the vineyard!

In spite of our quick & early immersion into the vineyard routine, this will always remain our favorite time of the year.  Watching the vines awake with the growth that will create this year’s vintage and help define each vine’s ultimate, long term form and structure. Every vine has a unique character that we try to help shape each successive year.  We realize more and more that wine growing is an art and not a science subject to fixed rules and formulas.  Perhaps the process changes as a grower expands their vineyards or starts using mechanization but it is our belief that the completely hands-on approach is the only way to go….

On the winery side of things, we released the NorCyana last weekend - we are glad we waited and hope you have a chance to enjoy our embodiment of Missouri State's viticultural treasure.

NorCyana Release

When to release a wine is not always an easy decision.  Such is the case with our new NorCyana.  As many of you know, we aged five barrels of Norton in three different toasts and then carefully blended some contents of each to create our signature blend.  The wine was then finished and laid to rest for the usual four weeks before its release date.  When we tasted the wine recently, however, we decided it needs to rest a while longer before we release it to you.

California vintner Paul Masson once declared - “We shall sell no wine before its time”. We wholeheartedly agree with that philosophy.  The quality of our wine at Fence Stile has always been a primary focus and unfortunately the NorCyana is not quite ready for you yet.  In the meantime, we hope you’ll continue to enjoy Fire Pit Red and Chambourcin – our other dry red wines.
Thank you for your patience. 

Winter... Really?

Well, it’s been roughly six years since my migration from California to Missouri….. and I still can NOT figure out the weather! Seems I’m not alone though – the vines are unsure exactly what they are supposed to be doing also.  Memories of the 2007 Easter freeze still haunt winegrowers in this region and we are therefore, reluctantly, still delaying the start of pruning.  Does a watched Winter ever freeze?

With pruning on hold, our attention has turned to the nectars of past year’s harvests.  The Chambourcin we released a week ago has been well received and welcomed by those who had to do without for far too many months.  Our first Norton has matured in a collection of barrels and we plan to bottle it towards the end of the month – look for a release party in late February.  The Vignoles, Seyval and Vidal are awaiting their turn….
Stay tuned.

Beginnings

And a new year has started… Not just on the calendar but in the vineyards as well. Soon we’ll start pruning the vines and making the thousands of decisions that will affect the quality and quantity of this year’s crop. In the meantime, the mild temperatures have allowed us to get caught up on maintenance and projects around the winery.

Our new Chambourcin is in the bottle - the release party is this Saturday – and soon we’ll be blending five barrels of Norton and bottling it also.  It’s an exciting time of the year – finishing up the wines from last years harvest and preparing the vineyards for this years crop – and I wouldn’t trade it for anything…