From Sandra's Desk:

September….. and so it begins!!!!

September launches our harvest season and we will begin as always with our Pinot Noir! It's been a wonderful summer with lots of sun and warm (sometimes a little TOO warm!!) temperatures. This year's fruit looks exceptionally full and gorgeous. The 2017 Estate and "Rising Tide" Pinot promises to be a wonderful vintage. I have been watching them grow all summer and tasting each week waiting for the sugar levels to get to the right moment and we are finally here!! Both Alan and I will try our hands once again at harvesting and it is one of our favorite moments in the vineyard. Soon after the Pinot Noir the whites will come in and then the darker reds. Frank, Marshall, Jose and Santiago, plus all of our other Silvestri Vineyards staff work hard during this time and we are lucky to have such dedication. So we hope that you enjoy the harvest time of year as much as we do! Lucky us to live in such a beautiful and fruitful place!

Salute!!

From The Winemaker:

I believe the fabled "dog days" of summer have arrived or at least started. Veraison, occurring when the grapes turn from green to red or gold for white grapes, is just starting and that means go time for the birds. That also means go time for bird netting being draped over the vines so we have something to harvest. Those dastardly birds can wreak havoc on a vineyard right quick. It's actually amazing to me that most vineyards do not have bird netting. Bird netting is really expensive from purchase to application. From closing the nets below the fruit zone (I use 4" wood skewers as opposed to the little plastic doodad that closes your bread bag) to taking the netting off after harvest. Most vineyards use different methods and others no method at all. Smaller vineyards that don't use netting will use squawk boxes (an amplifier emitting bird distress signals or the calls of birds of prey), falconers (guys or gals who actually have the birds of prey), or they use a system which sets off explosions periodically throughout the day. I have been to vineyards with the squawk boxes and bombs, the serenity and beauty of the vineyard is definitely affected. I'm fairly certain the birds get acclimated to the situation and then chatter about how silly the farmers are. The falconers on the other hand are super cool.

Oh yeah, I digressed, we were talking about the dog days. Once the grapes go through veraison we still have to water but the vineyard work should be mostly done. Now we must patiently wait for the grapes to ripen. This time is really the calm before the harvest storm. A time to prepare and get ahead of the game; like that ever happens. So cheers to the approaching fall season and the end of the dog days. I can't wait… Fall… For me, is my favorite time of the year.

Frank