Blog
Life on the Vineyard
When we originally planted the back block on the vineyard (Block 5), Celeste was adamant about the balance between grape rows and open space. But after a few not-so-subtle hints from me, a few carefully-chosen words from our social media manager and the promise of a larger supply of quality Pinot Noir fruit (which appealed to her bookkeeping nature), Celeste relented. We've just finished planting a small addition to our Block 5 vineyard.
When we decided to plant an additional space with Pinot Noir grapes, we opted to plant bare rootstock and then, after a year, graft on the grape clone in the field. The rootstock is buried under a mound of dirt to keep it moist and protected from the elements. Once the rootstock begins to bud and grow leaves, it is necessary to uncover the plant from the mound to prevent mildew. This job is normally contracted through our vineyard manager to be done by vineyard workers. But Clay and I decided that this was a job that not only we could do, but should do.
