The other night as we were finishing off some wines, I started thinking about the unbelievable weather we had been having. I started checking my favorite weather site for historical data (Weather Underground). 2009 so far has been pretty wet, and I wanted to see how we were faring against a couple of other wet years.
In the past decade or so, we have had a couple years that really standout insofar as making grapegrowing difficult. 2004 was really tough, and 2003 was even harder. I learned more about winemaking in both of those years than I thought I could. Some things I wish I never have to learn again. Like how to slog through bottling wine that doesn't excite me. That's still one I haven't learned.
So, I took a look at the months of May and June for 2009 and 2003 and 2004. In very rough, broad strokes, we're not doing well. We are just as wet as 2003 and 2004, and even colder (as measured by maximum temperatures and mean temperatures.) This does not bode well. But I will say, I learned a lot about disease control, and so far we are very clean in our three vineyards, as opposed to 2003 when I had downy mildew outbreaks everywhere.
Now, 2003 and 2004 ended pretty poorly as well. We had a total combined days over 90F of 3 (yes, three.) It was cool and rainy and overcast throughout. We still have a chance in 2009, as we still don't know what July and August and harvest hold for us yet. If we do the right rain dances, perhaps we can pull out a good year yet. I'll just try not to get too depressed just right now.....
In the past decade or so, we have had a couple years that really standout insofar as making grapegrowing difficult. 2004 was really tough, and 2003 was even harder. I learned more about winemaking in both of those years than I thought I could. Some things I wish I never have to learn again. Like how to slog through bottling wine that doesn't excite me. That's still one I haven't learned.
So, I took a look at the months of May and June for 2009 and 2003 and 2004. In very rough, broad strokes, we're not doing well. We are just as wet as 2003 and 2004, and even colder (as measured by maximum temperatures and mean temperatures.) This does not bode well. But I will say, I learned a lot about disease control, and so far we are very clean in our three vineyards, as opposed to 2003 when I had downy mildew outbreaks everywhere.
Now, 2003 and 2004 ended pretty poorly as well. We had a total combined days over 90F of 3 (yes, three.) It was cool and rainy and overcast throughout. We still have a chance in 2009, as we still don't know what July and August and harvest hold for us yet. If we do the right rain dances, perhaps we can pull out a good year yet. I'll just try not to get too depressed just right now.....
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