Wednesday, February 08, 2012

So sad.

It rained today, but I don't think it was your average rain.  Mother Nature, perhaps commiserating with me, was saddened that Swanson Vineyards decided to rip out their Pinot grigio vineyard on the Oakville Crossroad. Why am I so downhearted about the fate of these particular vines one might ask?  Over the course of my short blogging career I have written numerous posts about vineyard rip-outs with nary a tear shed. And, although all rip-outs are sad, this one is particularly joyless to me because I have a personal connection to these grapevines.
Vinoland's original block of Pinot grigio vines happen to be the progeny of the forlorn looking vines in the above photograph. Facilitated by a now retired vineyard manager of Swanson Vineyards, I drove up to Oakville and harvested the budwood myself.  Then I stood and watched, with great anticipation, as a friend of Vinomaker's painstakingly field-budded each and every rootstock we had planted earlier that spring (2005, I believe).
Alas, now Vinoland's Pinot grigio vines are orphans.  Sob.

5 comments:

Thomas said...

Why did they do it?

Thud said...

slash and burn, what a ruthless lot.

Leon Stolarski said...

Not orphans - just the next generation. :-)

Vinogirl said...

Thomas: Don't know. I have emailed Swanson, but I haven't heard back.

Thud: Best way to get rid of grapevines that are either; old? diseased? unfashionable? unprofitable?

Leon: Good point :)

Affer said...

I see the future.....and it is Muscat. According to The Times, there has been a 73% increase in the sales of Moscato, led by the endorsement of such renowned oenophiles as Kanye West, Drake, and Soulja Boy..........