VINEYARD SERVICES
Great wine starts in the vineyard
In addition to winemaking, our team of experienced Viticulturists have been developing the vineyards for the residents of Woodside and nearby cities for over two decades.
There is a cycle in all vineyards which repeats itself every year
January through February
Each vine is carefully pruned and the cuts are painted with a sealer. Attention is paid to growth, developing a structure to the plant, encouraging growth that will produce fruit. The stakes and trellises are inspected and repaired if necessary. Wires are tightened, line posts are straightened and tension adjusted on the end posts, all setting the stage for a beautiful vineyard.
March through April
Spring arrives and the vines become alive as new growth sprouts. Hopefully, the rains soak the soil. The weeds also begin to grow. The vineyards are plowed between the rows of vines. Weeds around the vines are sprayed. As the vines start to grow, the canes are trained to the trellises.
May through June
The vines continue to be monitored for growth. The young shoots are sprayed to prevent mildew. The training of canes continues and “suckers” are removed. Flower buds begin to form on the vines, the first signs of the year’s harvest. Vineyards are drip irrigated.
July through August
The grapes of the year’s harvest are rapidly growing and reaching maturity. Veraison begins, the transition from the growth period to ripening the of the berries. This is especially evident in the red grapes, as the color noticeably changes. Nets are rolled out over the vineyards to protect the crop from birds and deer. Harvest is eminent. Regular checks of the sugar content of the fruit begins.
September through October
Harvest is in full swing. The sugars have reached the desired level. Generally, the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are the first to be harvested, as they ripen soonest. Zinfandel is next, with the Cabernet grapes wrapping up the harvest season. Depending on the weather of a given year, harvest can spread from late August to early November. In a matter of weeks, the crop is in and the wine making begins.
November through December
The leaves of the vine begin to change color. Each varietal has its own look. The leaves eventually all fall off and the vines go dormant, rejuvenating themselves to do it all over again next year.
At each step, we pay close attention to the intricacies of the plant, soil, water, and typography management to ensure each estate vineyard produces grapes to our winemaking standards.
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Please contact us if you are interested in learning more or participating in our vineyard management program.
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Taini Vineyard in Woodside
Our smallest producing vineyard belongs to Randi and Reno Taini. Their eighty one vines of Chardonnay were planted in 1991 and although their vineyard is small, they are among the most enthusiastic of our growers.
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They help to harvest their vineyard whenever possible and this year with Uriel from our harvest crew was no exception. After nearly thirty years they are very good at selecting and picking the grapes and also aware of the physical demands. They definitely feel that the satisfaction of having their own vineyard to nurture and harvest is very rewarding.