...you cannot have an abundant crop without cultivation. Plato.Harvest may be over, but the work of farming the vineyards of the Napa Valley is never at an end. Valleywide, growers and vineyard managers are performing many necessary vineyard operations; sowing cover crops, spreading composted waste solids between the vines, making soil amendments (such as additions of K2SO4), and in some cases ripping out old, tired vines that are no longer viable.
This vineyard on the Oakville Crossroad was bulldozed about a week ago. I'm fairly positive it belongs to Franciscan Winery (but it could be Flora Springs Winery). Yes, it is sad to see the dead vines neatly piled high with the last of their summer foliage turning brown, but in their place new, vigorous vines will be cultivated. Nothing lives forever, but the 2010 wine that was made from these vines, before they were pulled from the earth, will be around for decades to come.
5 comments:
More firewood is good too.
Do you know why the vines were pulled?
Thud: With a little more drying out, that old vineyard has the potential of being the biggest Bommy you ever did see!
Thomas: I don't know, but I suspect they were just old and unproductive.
"I don't know, but I suspect they were just old and unproductive.'
That's what people are saying about me...I have seen the future!
Vinogirl, everyone seems to brag about "Old vines-Ancient-vines", and I'm guessing that old isn't always good, but depending on how those old vines continue to produce especially concentrated fruit; is it true that small grapes tend to have a more concentrated flavor or does it just depend on a number of variables?
Okay, I'm asking for a book, but I have read that some vines have roots up to 30' long, now that must take a bit of time to accomplish.
If you go all over the world, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, etc., what is the three or four things that separate a "Yellow Tail from a Two hands, or a Groth from a Cupcake?
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