In the Vineyard: April 2010

Vine growth has continued at slow to moderate pace with the cooler than normal weather and fairly frequent storms over the last 30 days. Both of these are nothing for us growers to worry about as we have needed the rainfall and with a week of warm weather the vines will easily get caught up.

The shoots in varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir range from 3 to 12 inches of growth and we can see the developing clusters emerging and separating at this stage. Cluster numbers look to be average or slightly better and we will be able to get our first yield estimate in the coming weeks. Unknown to us now through bloom and berry set is how many berries each cluster will have and how large they will be. Bloom-time weather in the Santa Maria Valley is generally good for good berry set (little shatter) so that is unlikely a problem for us. With the above normal rains we have had thus far and because we have had a good amount already in April there is a good possibility for larger than average berry size this year.

Already we can talk fruit quality when we look at weather and the possibility for larger berries. Generally, we like small berries which increases the skin to juice ratio in the fruit and therefore increases the phenolics of the juice and wine potential. Time will tell.

I hope you enjoyed this walk “in the vineyard.” Please send any comments or questions to me and I will respond as quickly as possible.

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.

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring…

Interview with Jim Stollberg, vineyard manager for Riverbench Winery and owner of Maverick Farming, a vineyard management company.

On The Wine Trail (OTWT): Hi Jim! We’re curious about how vineyards are preparing for the rain during the week of January 17, 2010. The weather experts are predicting an enormous amount of rain throughout the week. What are some concerns? What precautions are you taking?
JS: Preventing erosion in erosion prone slopes and soils is crucial. We are putting out sandbags and hay bales to direct and slow the flow of water. We are cleaning all drainages of loose vegetation and/or other trash or objects which could impede flow or block pipes.

OTWT: With a full week or more of rain, are you rushing to get any vineyard tasks done now?
JS: We are getting as much weed control done as possible because I don’t expect to be able to get a tractor into fields for around 2 weeks. Whether it is chemical spraying or cultivating weeds, they will basically get 2 weeks of growth without us being able to do too much.

OTWT: It seems like local farmers are always wanting more rain. Is there a downside to this much rain?

JS: The downside to a lot of rain over a short period is increased run-off rather than infiltration into the soil and filling of the soil around the roots and the groundwater bank. We have been so short of rain the last 2 years that I won’t complain. Any rain will help fill local reservoirs for both ag use throughout the year and also domestic use in cities.

OTWT: Thanks, Jim! Good luck with the preparations!

In the Vineyard: December 2009

It is the time of year when we look to the sky above to provide much needed rainfall and for the first time in three years December has been wet. Only half way through the month and we have twice as much rain as last year’s December. The refreshingly clean rain from above will replenish our soils and provide excellent growing medium for our vines in the next year. The water recharges our soils, livens our cover crops, which in turn produce natural nutrients to feed the vines.

Vineyard operations are slow in December, but our planning and preparation is in full swing for pruning. Pruning is the single most important thing we do every year. At this point we can adjust for the next year’s yield, vine vigor, and overall canopy growth. Every grower will tell you experienced pruning crews and knowledgeable management decisions at this time can set you ahead of others or cause you grief you may feel for years to come.

I hope the time of year brings everyone much joy and the opportunity to share one of our local wines, grape growers will be in full swing preparing next year’s vintage…”in the vineyard.”

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: 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.

Solomon Hills 2009 Harvest

2009 harvest at Solomon Hills has been nothing short of interesting. The season started in late August with extremely high temperatures, which was very reminiscent of the September weather in 2004. Luckily this came earlier than it did in 2004, and we escaped with only some slight sunburn. We were blessed for most of September and October, with a moderate climate minus the unusual amount of rainfall. The 2009 harvest started for us on 8-31-09 with chardonnay for a sparkling program and ended 10-22-09 with a small amount of syrah. The syrah was the only grape variety to weather the rain and did very well, all things considered. Over all the 2009 vintage should be an excellent quality year, with small yields in the chardonnay and small/normal (2-3.5 tons/acre) yields in the pinot noir. The fruit was harvested extremely clean and had a long hang time, thanks to the moderate temperatures of September and October. I would expect to see great things emerge from the 2009 vintage over the next several years.

Greg Phelan, Manager of Solmon Hills Vineyard in Orcutt, CA

Photo by John Gellentien

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.