It is now October and harvest has been going for about three weeks. This year, we started a little bit late due to the weather. This year’s crop is moderate in size. The quality looks to be very good. We are going through our second heat spell, which can be detrimental to the grapes. Once we see a severe heat forecast, we can give additional irrigation. We prepare for heat every year by opening the vines on the morning sun side and keeping them closed on the afternoon sun side. The morning side dries the dew and the afernoon sun doesn’t burn the grapes. It also helps to grow some grass in the rows, which stops the reflection of heat into the grapes. We have to carefully watch our picking schedule. We pick by hand so we stop picking once we get into the low 90’s. We have a super group of farm workers who have been with us for 20 years or more, and we are concerned for their safety.

2022 Malvasia Bianca Secco: I love this fruit-driven varietal. It can make a great sweet wine but better than that, this wine gives you all of the wonderful flavors of Malvasia without the sweetness. Serve super chilled as an aperitif.

Freisa: As far as I know, we are the only ones who grow Freisa in the United States. Our big venture is 500 vines that were part of the historic Carrari Vineyard, which we acquired many years ago. Freisa is an old variety that was a big deal in Italy 150 years ago. It makes a bold red wine with good color and powerful tannins, which means that we must pick the grapes fully ripe.

2020 Nebbiolo: This wine is the winner of the day. Nebbiolo is probably the most difficult grape that I grow. It starts growing first and is picked last. It is very susceptible to heat damage. The vine canopy requires decisions that most other grapes don’t require. The first five buds on a cane or spur usually don’t produce grapes. The bunches are of pretty good size so if you leave long canes to get fruit, you get too much fruit and it doesn’t get ripe. The variety requires a maximum 9 bud cane. The large cluster requires additional time to get ripe and when it’s next to other large clusters, ripeness is slow. What about the wine? I give this one a super high rating. Bold and with big tannins that become refined with time. You can put this wine away to be aged for a long time like the collectors do. This one is light in color, which is not a fault. The grape itself is not deep in color, yet what is amazing is that has these big tannins. We tend to think that color is related to tannins but this is an exception. This wine is really for food, for that big Italian dinner.

I am looking forward to the vineyard tour this month. I do this tour every day but by myself, so I love having the company!