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Cook Vineyard Weekly Newsletter 9.26.11

Fall is officially here.

Out of all of the four seasons, it seems autumn is the least popular, unless you’re a grape grower.
Fall marks the ending of summer and the beginning of our harvest season. One of the happiest moments for us “Grape Growers” is watching our bounty get hauled off to the winery..

Even though we celebrate the end of the season, we are also celebrating the beginning of the next. There is a lot to do after harvest.
As the last grape gets picked in the vineyard we irrigate the vines one last time. The theory is that the plants nutrients flow back into the roots as the plant prepares to go dormant and a hydrated vine helps this process. We weatherize the irrigation system after this task and shut down the well for winter.

Erosion control is another task. Due to the soil disturbance during our ten month season it is highly recommended and expected to spread hay on the hillside vineyard avenues. Depending on the vineyard, some will plant a cover crop. This is a great way to incorporate nutrients back into the soil and is great erosion control.

Harvest is a special time for all of us. We wish everyone a great and safe harvest.
If anyone wants to visit us in the vineyards to learn more about the world of viticulture, Please call us at 707.490.8921. Also check our face book account Cook Vineyard Management under discussions for more information.

David Christopher Cook
Cook Vineyard Management
P.O. Box 1481
Sonoma, Ca. 95476
Cell 707.490.8921