The refreshing vision of new buds is here!

In our vineyards, we delay pruning in order to discouraging buds from coming too early. If we have freezing temperatures after the buds have appeared, they may be damaged and not able to produce grapes in the summer.

As exciting as it is to see buds, in our vineyards we are concerned that we might still have freezing weather that will kill the young buds. Last Sunday night we had temperatures of 26′ F. We did suffer some damage, but we are hoping it will be a small amount, and that we will still have a good crop.

While the buds are growing, we have decided to enlarge our bottling room to automate more of the bottling process. More to come on that later, but to begin we have enclosed an overhang porch on the south side of our winery. For those that have seen our winery, you will be able to see two of the new walls in this photo, as well as the new doors.

Walls are now up, but the cement at the edge of the building and the cement floor of the overhang were not flush. We have taken out enough of the concret to blend the two floors together without too much slope.

Then we get our hard working crew together and a bunch of cement and go to work. Or rather they go to work.

Getting everthing ready.

Now comes the concert.

After the concrete has time to cure, we will put an easy to clear surface over the concrete. I’ll show you more of the bottling line improvement as they come.

Back to the vineyards, where we have run a mechanical pre-pruner through the vineyards to begin the pruning process. Then our workers go through the vineyards with hand pruners and electric pruners to finish off the job.

Our Viognier grapes are still waiting on final pruning till we are closer to the end of any chance the temperatures dropping below freezing. So they still look a bit scraggly. Our Viognier is our most vunernable to late spring freezes. Just as it’s reputation goes, it is a hard variety to grow.

In most of our vineyards we are finished with pruning and glad that the buds are just now appearing. We have a long growing season here on the High Plains to give the fruit time to fully matured to make great tasting wine for us to share with you.

More vineyard news for you as spring and summer progesses.

Blessings,
Betty

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