In the Vineyard: March 2010

Our earliest varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are beginning to emerge with new growth from their dormancy in mid November. The buds are between bud swell and rosette stages depending on their age, variety, and elevation.

We have been controlling weeds around the base of the vines and have begun trapping gophers. Both of these pests can do damage to the vines and compete for water and nutrients.

The last few months have been great to recharge our soils with rain water and I expect to see even, moderate growth from the vines over the next few months. This time of year is great because we get to see for the first time what the 2010 vintage may offer. As growth continues and shoots get to be about six inches long we will get our first glimpse of the clusters. Small, green and indistinguishable to most onlookers, they will emerge from the expanding tissue.

I hope everyone enjoys this time of year driving by the vineyards of the Santa Maria Valley. Mornings with overhead sprinklers running to protect from frost damage and the long vine rows with new bright green tips of growth. Enjoy the daylight hours stretching into to evening with one of our delicious Chardonnay or Pinot Noirs and we’ll keep an eye on the new fruit “in the vineyard.”

Jim Stollberg manages vineyards for Maverick Farming Company in the Santa Maria Valley. He can be reached at (805)310-9322 or <jim@maverickfarming.com.

In the Vineyard: February 2010

Photo by Natalie Pranevsky

The New Year has brought more rain than we have seen in the last 3 years and we were definitely due. For the season we are at or above our average yearly total and more rain is on the way. The wet days have slowed our pruning progress, but with a good group of men and working through weekends, when dry, we have stayed on schedule.

Photo by Natalie Pranevsky

In the last week I have seen pruning wounds begin to “bleed” which is our first indication of the vines beginning sap flow and emerging from their winter dormancy. I expect our earliest varieties and fields to begin pushing buds by the end of the month.

The wet weather has made our tractor work, which includes weed control, cover crop mowing and mulching, slow, but again not more important than the needed rainfall.

Budbreak not only signifies the beginning of the 2010 vintage, but the likely need for frost control in most of our Santa Maria Valley vineyards. The large majority of vineyards use overhead sprinklers which provide a protective layer of water and ice around the tender new growth while others use wind machines to mix warmer upper level air with the colder ground level air.

This is a conflicting time of year for me; I am excited for the new growth and for producing great fruit, which will show great 2010 wines and conversely, the indefinite and frankly tiresome practice of being aroused from a good sleep and being out for long nights protecting our vines, looms in the coming months.

Nevertheless, grape growing is more than rewarding; it sustains our environment and brings joy and purpose to many in our Valley. I look forward to seeing everyone sometime this season “in the vineyard.”

NOTE: Jim will be hosting another free vineyard walk this May 8th at 1pm at Riverbench Vineyards. Please visit www.smvwines.com for more details.

Jim Stollberg manages vineyards for Maverick Farming Company in the Santa Maria Valley. He can be reached at (805)310-9322 or jim@maverickfarming.com.

In The Vineyard: November 2009

These winter months are when grape growers get to sit down and reflect on how to better improve their operations. I am engulfed with paperwork, planning, and budgeting for the 2010 season. Yes, cool, wet weather doesn’t mean farming stops, it means I have no excuse for a paper-stacked desk and I can get all of the office work done which I have been putting off since harvest began.

Reviewing the good and the bad from 2009 and meeting with my vineyard foreman to get their feelings and ideas on where we can improve on efficiency is where the 2010 vintage begins. I look at fertility options, where we can improve growth and where we may need to decrease growth to maximize both quantity and quality of grapes. I look at irrigation amounts, timing of applications and length of applications so that every precious drop of water applied has the maximum benefit to the vines. I take a look at the latest in machinery, materials, and viticulture philosophies and adjust where I can to make my operation as successful as possible.

Sitting down and learning about the wines which are being produced from my vines another fun operation this time of year. Discussing where the best fruit came from the vineyard and what may have been associated with that success is very important with my partnering winemakers. I will get muddy in the vineyard, the winemakers will be molding their wines, and we need everyone to keep raising their wine glasses to great Santa Maria Valley wines.

Jim Stollberg manages vineyards for Hampton and Maverick Farming Companies in the Santa Maria Valley. He can be reached at (805)310-9322 or jim@maverickfarming.com.

In The Vineyard: October 2009

October 15, 2009: The 2009 harvest season has been full of interesting weather changes. September began with record breaking heat and for many growers got harvest off to a feverish start. Prior to the heat, Pinot Noir grapes were steadily maturing and we saw mixed vine response to the heat. At some vineyards, sugar accumulation in the fruit increased rapidly while corresponding decreases in acid levels were not seen. This gave us growers and winemakers an important decision to make; can the sugar/acid levels come back into balance in the days following the heat spike or do we need to harvest before sugar levels rise beyond standard quality parameters?

Winemaker discussions I have had can be summarized with mixed results. Overall, the Pinot Noir quality looks to be good and depending on vineyard, there is potential for some outstanding wine lots now in barrel.

Chardonnay in the Santa Maria Valley coped with the heat better in most accounts than did the Pinot Noir. I have only heard exciting reports about Chardonnay wine quality and this is no surprise seeing and tasting the fruit as it left the vineyard. The Chardonnay vines were in a better condition during and following the heat, allowing growers to hang the fruit for an extended period. The increased hang time brought the fruit back into phenologic balance, and subsequently the wines are showing great character.

The recent October rains were much more of an overall benefit than detriment to us growers because of the recent drought years and in my opinion marked the virtual end to harvest. We do still have late whites and reds in the field, but the changing weather has put all remaining varieties on the harvest list.

This exciting harvest season “in the vineyard” will most surely result in some of our most impressive and anticipated wines in the bottle.

Jim Stollberg manages vineyards for Hampton and Maverick Farming Companies in the Santa Maria Valley. He can be reached at (805)310-9322 or jim@maverickfarming.com.