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Cook Vineyard Weekly Newsletter 6.25.12

Our weather has played a large role this year so far. The warm spring with little precipitation during the bloom has allowed the vineyards to set a great crop.

Even though it is too early to tell, if things continue we may have a bumper crop in many varieties.

The question is always asked “Why do we remove some of the crop every year after worrying that there may not be enough in the beginning of the season?.”

The question is easily answered with the word “quality”. Every vine in Sonoma has the capability of producing high quality fruit. This is best achieved by allowing the vine to have the right amount of fruit. If there is too little the vine becomes vegetated and ripens its fruit too early not allowing the much needed hang time. A vine with too much fruit has a hard time ripening and the fruit is tasteless or with unwanted flavors.

As a general rule most Chardonnay vineyards produce 5 tons of quality fruit per acre. This year they could produce 6 to 7 of tons if not for the quality fruit drop about to occur in the next few weeks.

Quality fruit comes from balanced vines. It is always better to begin the season with more fruit than needed for the end product so we can select what fruit to keep and those that need to be discarded.

The fruit is dropped so early in the season that it does not have any commercial value, but is placed in the vine rows for a form of composting.

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 website  www.cvmgrapes.com.