Yesterday I visited all three vineyards from which I'm taking fruit this year: Devoto Gardens (Pinot Noir; Green Valley), Flanagan Vineyards (Pinot Noir; Starr Road, Russian River), and Inspiration Vineyards (Chardonnay; Olivet Road, Russian River).This is a pic of Flanagan, looking south-east over the rows of Pommard clones of which I'll be taking a ton.
This is our first harvest with Flanagan Vineyards, which is only a rifle shot down Starr Road from Amber Ridge. We're looking forward to building a long-term relationship. The fruit is coming along nice and even (no easy trick given the wet spring) and has that delicious black-fruit traction that I associate with Starr Road. I measured the Pinot there at about 20.7 brix; our pick may be as early as late next week. Eric Flanagan will make the call on the exact pick date.
This will be our third harvest with
Devoto Gardens, and Stan's grapes look and taste fantastic, as we'd expect from such a fastidious farmer. I measured his fruit at about 19 brix, and I'm thinking I'll pick anywhere between September 20 and 27th.Here's a shot showing where Stan's organic apple trees end and his block of 828 Pinot Nor begins.
This is also our first harvest with Inspiration Vineyards, where we're getting a ton of clone #4 Chardonnay from Jon Phillips, the owner/farmer of 2+ carefully tended acres along Olivet Lane in Russian River. Very excited about making our first Chardonnay this year!
I put this fruit at about 19 brix with flavors and ripening coming along; Jon is estimating the end of September, possibly the first week in October for this fruit.
