Mid-season growth

As of late June, our vineyard on the eastern slopes of Sonoma Mountain is in the mid-season growth phase, with fruit set complete—the tiny berries have formed and are beginning to grow—and berry development ongoing. The grapes are currently in the “green berry” stage, hard and high in acid.

In the past week, we have completed the following activities, having previously performed sucker removal in mid-May to eliminate unwanted growth from the vine trunks:

• Shoot positioning: Training shoots along trellising wires

• Leaf removal: Strategic removal around fruit zones for air circulation and light exposure

• Hedging: Trimming of shoot tips extending beyond the top trellis wire to control canopy growth and improve light penetration

• Irrigation management: Flushed out lines, checked emitters, and continued monitoring for water stress, with limited irrigation likely to commence as we enter the summer months

We continue to benefit from the Petaluma Gap (morning fog providing crucial cooling), our eastern slope orientation (providing gentle morning sun), and San Pablo Bay (providing warmed maritime air). This is truly the period when our sheltered, sun-exposed microclimate—with its optimal balance of sun exposure and maritime cooling influence—begins showing its advantages for Bordeaux variety development.

Looking ahead, veraison (color change) typically begins in late July to early August, followed by harvest in September through October, depending on vintage conditions.