Charlie's Vineyard Update: October 11th 2023
Here is the latest on what’s happening in the vineyard from Charlie!
As of October 10, several grape varieties are stubbornly ripening in our estate vineyard: Barbera, Petite Sirah, and Mourvedre.
Mourvedre has always been the last grape to ripen, so it was not expected to be ready yet, and it is often harvested in early November.
However, Petite Sirah and Barbera have always been picked in September. The cool and wet fall weather has slowed everything down, and some local vineyards may never be able to get their grapes as ripe as the wineries want.
Our Barbera (check out the pictures), will be picked early Thursday morning. The grapes are perfectly ripe to harvest, and since the clusters hang looser than some other varieties, the rainfall should not affect them negatively. Since Barbera is known to be a grape with higher acidity, the vines will absorb some of the rainwater and lower the grapes’ acidity.
We look forward to finishing this historically good harvest and spending more time with Lucy! Come visit us soon in Plymouth, CA at our Vineyard & Winery in the heart of Shenandoah Valley.
Cheers!
– Charlie Havill
