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On my way down to San Francisco this Friday, I saw the first of budbreak in the Carneros region of southern Napa.

Cheers to a fabulous 2011 vintage!

While out and about today, we spotted the first of the mustard in the vineyards.

Tom & I both commented on how early it seems for the mustard to be in bloom. But, funny enough, in looking back at the vineyard updates I found that bloom was even earlier last year.

Taken in Oakville today:

Shortly after harvest, the leaves of the grapevines begin to change color.

From that point it’s never long until the first big storms of the season blow in–and blow the leaves down.

Below is a view, on this grey and drizzly day, of the vineyards along Madrona Avenue on the western side of Saint Helena.

Post-harvest, it is not unusual for entire vineyards to be pulled out.

Some only last so long (Cabernet Sauvignon for example, about 20 years), some have issues with disease or whatnot - and with some, the owner simply decides he/she now wants to plant something else.

That said, it seems there is a lot more pulling this year than in the past.

Nowhere else is this most apparent than at the Napa Valley’s most famous photo op spot.

I am told that, here in the Napa Valley, all the grapes have been brought in (that’s winery-speak for have been picked).

Once that happens, the vines quickly begin to change color.

For those who don’t think there is much to fall color in California, I say come visit. It is just glorious here right now.

Benessere Vineyards, Saint Helena

Silverado Trail at Deer Park Road

So yes, I am behind in these updates (sorry).
But grapes are coming in fast & furious now so stay tuned as the 2010 harvest plays out.

Towards Nickel & Nickel Winery

Grape Clusters 28 Weeks Post Bud Break

Towards Robert Mondavi Winery

So I am a bit behind my vineyard update posting schedule; I just haven’t been able to make it over to the vineyard in Oakville I’ve been featuring this season.

But as I was driving home, I stopped at this vineyard in Saint Helena so that I could share a bit of what’s going on here in the Napa Valley with you.

According to my winemaker friends, the season is a “bit of a nail biter” but has great potential.
And now that the unusually cool summer has give way to an unusually hot fall, things are getting interesting fast.

Stay tuned–I will get to that Oakville vineyard this week and we’ll get back on track.

From what I understand, the ripening of most grapes is behind “schedule” this year due to the unusually mild temperatures we’ve been experiencing. So, this will likely be a late harvest–unless we have early rains. Rain pretty much necessitates harvest as the grapes can be damaged.

That said, today it was 100 106 degrees Upvalley. It will be interesting to watch what happens from here on out.

Below you can see that the grapes are well beyond veraison and that the leaf canopy has really developed since Update #5.

That development is particularly notable as I’m told that quite a bit of canopy management–meaning successive cutting back of the leaves–has been occurring in most vineyards. This cutting allows more sunlight to reach the grape clusters, thereby optimizing the ripening process. There has been more of this cutting this year than in past due to this summer’s crazy cool weather.

Towards Nickel & Nickel Winery

Grape Clusters Nineteen Weeks Post Bud Break

Towards Robert Mondavi Winery

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Finally, veraison. As it’s so late this year, it’s all everyone’s been talking about.
This is the same vineyard in Oakville that I’ve been featuring all this season.

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The most interesting change since Update #4 is the grow of the grape clusters in the second photo below. The leaf canopy hasn’t seemed to have grown much, with the exception of filling out some.

So do you like that this year I’ve been featuring the same vineyard in each update?
Or would you like to see more on other vineyards?

Looking Towards Nickel & Nickel Winery

Grape Clusters Thirteen Weeks Post Bud Break

Looking Towards Robert Mondavi Winery

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