Spring is trying to spring in the vineyard. Last night at 3:30 am, I had a date with a grapevine that was almost chilled. We came close to having a frost event as some of our buds are beginning to open, but fortunately we had enough wind, about 8 mph, keeping the temperatures just above 32°F. It’s that time of the year.

In our last newsletter, we talked about the big rains. This time we can tell you it continued. All the reservoirs and lakes are full and God did what the state of California could not do. Right now we are busy getting the fields cleaned up, adjusting the irrigation systems for a later date. Our normally 4-5 inch weeds are now three feet tall, so we are getting ready to mow. As usual, we never run out of work.

2021 Pinot Grigio: White wines are the in thing, and Pinot Grigio is one of the leaders of the pack along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. I am surprised at what we are doing with Viognier. We are one of the few that grows Pinot Grigio in a cooler region, which makes a finer wine with more flavor, acid, and balance. It is refreshing.

2020 Dolcetto: I tasted this wine and I was stunned. I have never had such a ripe Dolcetto, partly due to the extra heat during harvest. Dolcetto is rarely above 13% alcohol. This one came in at 14.5%. It has the softness that a delicate Dolcetto normally has but it just finishes big. I find it to be unique and very good, and if we were in Piemonte, we would marvel at how ripe these grapes got.

2019 Sangiovese: Here is another one that is showing more maturity and ripeness. We picked Sangiovese on the first of November, at the end of the season when we normally pick Sangiovese. It is a grape that looks like it will mature soon but it lingers on for a few more weeks. This one is full of flavor and the most important thing is that this is the ultimate Sangiovese experience. It is 100% Sangiovese. Take a look at the color and record it in your memory as exactly what Sangiovese is supposed to be. You could even drink it with a little chill.

I can’t believe it is already April. How fast these years go. Every year we repeat what we did the year before and try to make it better. And that is what we all need to do. We appreciate you, our Club Members. You are part of our family. Happy spring. Get ready for summer. In a few days, we’ll be on our way to Croatia.