Winemaker's Journal

June

The season's first berries appear on the vines.

June is the time when the growing season transforms from promise to realization, or more precisely, from flowers to berries. As spring warms to summer, the tender shoots of April and May lengthen and turn woody. Bloom in Cabernet Sauvignon usually occurs in late May or early June, and the weather during this crucial time determines quality as well as quantity of grapes. Moderate temperatures, lack of rain, and mild winds induce a fast, even bloom, which leads to a homogeneous and often high-quality crop. By mid-June, the berries have set and begun to grow in size, and we have a firm idea of yields.

The weather in May of 2008 was generally mild with one serious heat spell. The heat seems to have delayed bloom a week so the season is just a few days ahead of schedule. Most vineyards are finishing bloom and the tiny berries are beginning to form. Suckering, lateral and leaf removal will keep the vineyard workers quite busy.

We will complete bottling in the cellars early in the month and June will be a quiet month of topping barrels and maintenance in the cellars. An accurate summary of June would be - quiet in the cellars, busy in the vineyards.