Late June: A Vineyard Update

As summer casts its warmth on our lovely vineyard, we welcome you to take a moment to see the beauty of this season on our vines. Each morning, the fresh leaves are illuminated with sunlight. Growth so far  this year has been rapid and productive. 

Not long ago, our vines went through their blossoming stage, like the Cabernet Sauvignon cluster pictured above. Our springtime conditions were ideal for flowering.  

During the blossoming stage, we had gorgeous sunny days that weren’t hot or windy leading to vibrant growth.

This year started with an abundance of water, fueling fantastic greenery as well as laying a foundation of groundwater in the soil. This saturation will come in handy with any heat waves to come.

As the berries begin to grow, the fruit set stage is initiated. The shape of the clusters emerges, giving us a hint of the harvest to come. 

Our winemaker Jesse has commented that we are seeing a phenomenal fruit set, one of the best in years. Our vines are happy and healthy!

At this stage, the grapes are small and green. Clusters like this young Sangiovese will not turn their characteristic shade of magenta until the next stage, veraison. 

Soon, the long branching vines will have some pruning and be organized into neat rows. Until then, the vines are free to branch across each row, creating a miniature jungle in our productive vineyard blocks. 

Beneath the verdant canopy, you can catch a peek of the wild abundance of young fruit.

This cluster of Barbera expresses the beauty of this stage and foreshadows the beauty of the season to come as the vineyard matures over the next few months.

These tall vines are still in their growing stage, expanding upward and outward.

Well-laden vines foreshadow a likely high-yield vintage when we harvest later this year.

The vineyard continues to show promise and beauty. Welcome, summer.

If you wish to soak in the sights firsthand, come visit Rubino Etsates for wine tasting or go into the vineyard on a Duck tour!