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Cook Vineyard Weekly Newsletter 6.4.12

Most experts say timing is everything while others say it’s better to have luck on your side than anything else. Both sides are right when it comes to bloom. Every vineyard goes through this flowering process (bloom) with early ripening varieties beginning first around May 25 and late varieties into the middle of June.

This is a crucial time in the vineyards. We have always said it’s like having your office with no roof for two weeks. If it doesn’t rain or get to hot it’s not an issue, but if it rains you will be left with a mess.

So how will this early morning rain (June 4, 2012) affect us?

All the vineyards are in bloom, some almost finished others in the beginning or middle of the two week process. It’s too early to tell, but if we get the predicted light drizzle it should not be a huge issue. Last year we experienced high winds with a hard rain that affected the crop load during bloom. Hopefully we do not get a repeat performance from Mother Nature.

The cool weather this week will slow down the growth in the vineyards and push back our first irrigation of the year by a week or so, which could be a good thing.

Grapevines adapt to their surroundings well and can take a little wrath from Mother Nature from time to time, just like us who farm them.

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.