2006 harvest
The Petite Sirah grapes are ready for harvest. The sugar levels are in the right range. I have two and a half rows of Zinfandel that are ready as well, so I will harvest the Petite this week, the Zinfandel this weekend.
I bottled 15 gallons of wine last night, which yielded 5 cases of wine (3 cases of 2005, Estate grown, Zinfandel, 2 cases of 2005 Estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon).
I still need to bottle another 30 gallons of wine before I get too involved with harvest.
The vines and grape clusters are in great shape. I hand harvested leaves around the clusters to create airspace. I have had a problem with powdery mildew in the past years, but the hand harvesting of leaves has helped a lot, plus I've sprayed non-toxic algecide.
The grape crop is the best I've had, as my farming skills have improved a lot.
I'll report out on yields, and fermentation over the next few weeks. I will be involved in wine making every day for the next 6 weeks, and I mean EVERY DAY. My wife will become a Wine Widow.
I did bottle a special blend (Zinfandel/Primitivo/Petite Sirah) last Fall, for my sons wedding in a few weeks. The wine has been aging in the bottle for the last 11 months, and it has turned out to be a very special wine indeed.
posted by mrsleep @ 1:50 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
How are the wedding plans coming along?
Ah.
All three sons head off to Las Vegas for THE bachelor party this weekend.
Honeymoon all planned and mostly paid for (Mom and Dad paying).
Right now we are also working hard to get the newly weds into a brand new Condominium in Roseville. The payment is only a little more than a rent check for the 2 Bdrm they were looking at.
Rehearsal Dinner location locked down, and we are reserving Hotel rooms for out of town guests.
A few last minute details but 99% taken care of.
I'm busy with wine & grapes all weekend. I'm picking up 1500 lbs of grapes from the grower I work with between today and tomorrow.
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