Monday, June 29, 2009

Heat Wave

After a month of moderate weather, the end of June got hot! The grapes are soaking up the warmth and the sun:


What a difference two and a half months make! Check out the grapevines in mid-April:

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

June winery updates

We have been sorely remiss in posting!

It's finally heating up significantly - there's nothing like the smell of baking earth in late June. The dirt under the grapevines to our west smells just like warm, uncured leather. And you wonder why some tasting notes - generally for Zinfandel, Syrah & Cabernet - mention hints of leather.

The grapevines seem to grow each day, they're no longer flowering but now have clustered grapes. It seems a miracle that something so acidic at the moment will later ripen and sweeten.

Our 2007 C&B North Coast Cabernet (fruit from Mendocino and Lake County) was bottled last Wednesday. We all tried it - and enologist Mauricio Livellara couldn't stop raving about it, praising its true-to-Cabernet character, with soft, mouth-filling tannins on the finish, with delicate aromas.

Pictures to follow - and we'll update more in the future. Happy Summer!