West Coast Wine Network
Vineyards & Wineries
Promise Cabernet Sauvignon
Muscadine Wines
Three coins wine
Hooker wine
Another view from Chappellet
The view from Chappellet
Hooker Wines - Wine for Rugby lovers
Garnet Vineyards
Lawer Family Wines - Vineyard Estate Rentals in Calistoga
Chappellet Winery
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >
Topic Options
Rate This Topic
#372104 - 02-02-2012 15:02:47 2012 Weather Thread
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
Guess it's time to start a weather thread for 2012 since we're already a month into the new year.

Where's the rain? I drove from the Bay Area to Santa Barbara County and back about 10 days ago and the hills are not even fully green - lots of brownish patches on them. Could be yet another strange growing season ahead.

Top
#372387 - 02-24-2012 15:11:58 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
Three weeks later, and there's still been hardly any rain around here this winter. And with the warm weather lately, I'm seeing lots of trees with blossoms on them already.

Top
#372419 - 02-26-2012 14:26:09 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
Vines are bleeding while we're pruning, the first sign of sap flow. If we don't get 10 more inches of rain, its gonna be hard to control frost and irrigate.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#372429 - 02-26-2012 17:59:11 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Casey Hartlip]
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
Originally Posted By: Casey Hartlip
Vines are bleeding while we're pruning, the first sign of sap flow. If we don't get 10 more inches of rain, its gonna be hard to control frost and irrigate.

When do you usually start to get sap flow, Casey?

Top
#372522 - 03-01-2012 03:35:53 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
Mid to late Feb Ken. Moments after making the pruning cuts, the wounds give off lots of sap. est time to prune vines is late Feb, into March. You don't have to treat pruning wounds.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#372862 - 03-19-2012 16:49:19 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
artnathan Offline
Newbie

Registered: 08-13-2004 15:37:20
Posts: 6
Loc: Paso Robles
It's quite dry in the Paso Robles area. I had a bit over 1.4" from the last storm but this was the first rain since mid-Feb. I have slightly over 6" for the season...absurdly low. I already have my table grapes pushing...out over 3/4" yesterday. You just know that a frost is next. Paso got hammered by a freeze last year and we're hoping not to have a repeat in the area.
_________________________
Art Nathan

Top
#372911 - 03-22-2012 00:45:05 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: artnathan]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
I've been flushing lines and running frost pumps the last couple of days. I'd say we're still 10 days away from having to protect anything. Kind of fun to be involved in frost protection again (I did it for two years in '79 and '80) but I know it won't be fun if we have too many days of frost. Our average hours/season is about 40. Hoping to see some more rain the next 10 days.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#372999 - 03-28-2012 15:01:02 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Casey Hartlip]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
Just dumped 3 inches from the past 48 hours. Water is running everywhere.

Chard and Pinot are at the 'very fuzzy' stage at out vineyards in Philo. Not quite budbreak yet.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373003 - 03-28-2012 15:51:17 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Casey Hartlip]
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
Thanks for the updates, Casey. We sure needed this recent rain.

Top
#373191 - 04-14-2012 19:45:41 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
34 this morning at my house and the vineyard in Philo. Just as I'm starting to get excited about warm weather, there are conflicting reports about what we'll see over the next 10-12 days. PLEASE not a repeat of last year's cold, wet, never ending spring that went all summer long!
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373196 - 04-15-2012 00:35:37 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Casey Hartlip]
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
Casey, did you get any of the lightning up your way that we had here around the Bay a couple of nights ago?

Top
#373210 - 04-16-2012 02:55:29 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
None, just some rain.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373428 - 04-29-2012 22:14:47 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
Do I dare say that frost season is over? crazy
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373490 - 05-03-2012 02:32:57 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Casey Hartlip]
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
Originally Posted By: Casey Hartlip
Do I dare say that frost season is over? crazy

Don't you think it's still a little early to say that? wink

Top
#373536 - 05-04-2012 17:19:40 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
I feel frost coming tonight. Pretty effing cold and windy out there. This might be the last of it as the 10 day looks pretty darn nice (temps of 78-84). Got some catching up to do on vine growth. Will probably plant lots of things in the garden this weekend.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373567 - 05-07-2012 18:46:20 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
I just completed a long walk through many of my Pinot blocks. Shoot length is anywhere from 5 to 16 inches depending on exposure, clone and rootstock. LOTS of flower clusters out there. Many doubles and wings on the first cluster. I didn't walk too many Chard fields as they're more like 4-8" long.

Every grape grower I know is using the same three words: sucker, mow, spray.

I had the men working 9 hour days and the ladies working 8's, but everyone's starting 9's as of today. Luckily both sprayers are working as are all three mowers. In a few more days we'll be somewhat caught up on the mow/spray end of things. I do like this time of year.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373573 - 05-07-2012 19:44:03 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Casey Hartlip]
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
Good to hear about lots of flower clusters on the Pinot up there. And it looks like temps will be in the 80s all week so that's very good news compared to last year.

Top
#373595 - 05-09-2012 16:58:43 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
38 in Boonville this morning, yet it hit 90 something in Ukiah yesterday.

Mow, sucker, spray.............
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373694 - 05-14-2012 17:43:28 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
Well, its still mow/sucker/spray but we're catching up on the mowing. 1300 Gewurtz vines come this week (13K pinot vines next spring!) and we're just about ready for them. The drier season has been so nice: enough moisture in the ground to get the vines growing without the waterlogging we had this time last year. Growth is starting to rip now. One crew is working 5-10 hour days, the other prefers 5-9's and a 5 hour Saturday. Either way you look at it we'll be writing some fat checks for these folks soon enough.

For the most part all my fruit is spoken for. If things crop as good as they might, I'll have a few extra tons of pinot to sell, but I've got a waiting list for that too.

I got nothin' to bitch about! Great to have a job!
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373696 - 05-14-2012 18:07:01 Well.... [Re: Casey Hartlip]
TomHill Online   content
Venerated Icon
Elvis Has Entered the Building!

Registered: 02-15-2004 17:42:19
Posts: 12127
Loc: LosAlamos
Originally Posted By: Casey Hartlip


For the most part all my fruit is spoken for. If things crop as good as they might, I'll have a few extra tons of pinot to sell, but I've got a waiting list for that too.
I got nothin' to bitch about! Great to have a job!


That's a pretty good position to be in, Casey. Whatta difference a year makes...huh???
Tom

Top
#373763 - 05-18-2012 13:20:55 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
34.4 at our place next to Navarro tasting room. My brother had to run some of his low lying blocks at Scharffenberger home ranch. YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373846 - 05-23-2012 02:04:10 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
I saw my first pinot flower blooming today. It was just one berry in a wind shadow, but still pretty shocking.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373870 - 05-26-2012 02:31:45 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
We had some pretty good showers here at my house (Ukiah area) but numerous calls to Philo had nothing over there. Will check rain gauge tomorrow morning.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#373921 - 05-28-2012 02:16:39 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
Starting another go-round of Kumulus (sulfur) tonight. It'll take 3 days with both tractors to get the 168 acres covered. Guessing about 70-80% suckered with the first pass. We'll get good coverage with the spray and then bloom will be upon us soon. Lots of serious growth out there now. Wires need to get moved along with all the other duties. I'm getting calls from people needing labor, gotta help me first.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
#374065 - 06-02-2012 15:26:01 Re: 2012 Weather Thread [Re: Ken Zinns]
Casey Hartlip Offline
Local

Registered: 02-15-2004 19:48:43
Posts: 1224
Loc: Mendocino County
So here comes the speed bump. Chances of showers on Monday. Of course those folks to the south are pretty much done with bloom (?) while we're just getting into it. Truthfully, one little day of rain isn't that big of a deal during bloom. A couple of days of moderate rain or deep soaking rain would be a bummer. I'm told we're one year removed from an inch of rain in these parts, but we might not have been blooming yet.

Sure been nice the past few days.
_________________________
"Behind every bottle of wine there's someone driving a tractor"

Top
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >


Misc. Stuff
Muscadine winegrapes
Muscadine wine collection
2010 Garnet Pinot Noir - Rodgers Creek Vineyard
Promise Wine
Dom Perignon
Chappellet Wine
Lawer Family Three Coins Wine
13 Blackbirds
Old Wine
2009 HdR Last Seminar
Newest Members
Jplotty, mws941, Emily, samishra, PippoMura
1693 Registered Users
Top Posters
Brad Harrington 13966
JFO 13065
TomHill 12127
Marshall Manning 10482
Florida Jim 7733
David Andreozzi 7157
blil 6251
Marc Hanes 5639
BEB 5444
Dave Dyroff 4867