Bud Break

Bud Break

Sitting on the porch of the Peake Ranch casita in the fading day of rain showers and the longer day light hours of daylight savings time.  Nice deal. We have been getting occasional rain today and more is predicted.  The rain replenishes our soil moisture but soil can...
Pruning Time

Pruning Time

Hello again and apologies.  “I been gone too long”.  I am back now and will resume a regular dialog. It has been awhile since harvest and winter was supposed to be here but it hasn’t shown up yet.  Two days ago we made it to 83 degrees F and we will probably make it...
Harvest and Heat

Harvest and Heat

We have made it to the midpoint of harvest in volume but not time.  The last ones to pick are sure to dribble out over some weeks.  Even with that statistical fact, it in no way feels like the end of the tunnel.  It is hard to see the light when you are a picker in...
2017 Harvest Starts!

2017 Harvest Starts!

As the first light of last Saturday showed over the hill we were already beginning the 2017 harvest!  We harvested Pinot noir at JSV for a rosé wine.  Grapes for rosé are most commonly picked well before grapes from the same variety that are destined for red wine. ...
Smart Farming – New Team Members

Smart Farming – New Team Members

Over the past weekend we had “agri tourists” Tom Wagner (John and Gill’s son) and his long time friend Jeremy Gold.  We spent a good deal of time bouncing around in the truck and walking in vineyards with Daisy and Emily.  Much of the conversation centered around what...
Managing Birds

Managing Birds

Remember that part of veraison that begins ripening in general and includes the influx of sugar to the berry? Sugar content of the juice goes from approximately 0 preveraison, to about 25% (a winemaker decision) at harvest.  To put that in perspective, a can of cola...