A Good Year...
It ended up being a fantastic year in the vineyard! This was our fourth growing season, so we were looking forward to a "full" crop/harvest in much of the vineyard. We didn't have any issues with early growth+frost or late frost, which was our biggest problem last year (2012), where we saw early bud break on our acre of Marquette and acre of La Crescent in late March early April. Shoots were 1-3" long and had already sent out their flower buds... Knowing we can receive a frost up to the first week in May, this was cause of concern. We received a frost April 10th and 11th which caused us to loose the growth and flower buds that we had as well as completely killing some of those buds. This set our Marquette and La Crescent vines back at least one year and we spent time replacing cordons with shoots that had come from the trunks.
We started pruning in late winter, finish early spring and had a great start to 2013 with a decent amount of moisture in the spring of which we missed out on in 2012, with little rainfall in the summer, good for vineyards - they don't like wet feet! and this also reduces disease/fungal pressure. We spent many hours in the vineyard thinning flower buds and shoots to the amount we thought the plant could ripen the grapes to their full potential. Combing, combing, combing... We also took time to position the growth of the top growing wire downward which allows for better sun penetration to the foliage and fruit, air circulation, easier harvest, and in the end, easier to prune - still looking forward to that. ;) Weeds... It is starting to become easier to keep the row free of "weeds" as the vines continue to have a hardier, more woody trunk.
We allowed our half acre of Brianna, half acre of Frontenac Gris, and acre of Frontenac to have a full crop, leaving most of the flower buds but keeping the amount per plant to 72ish flower buds giving us 72ish grape clusters, ideally. Because of the issues we had in the Marquette and La Crescent vineyard in 2012 spring, we kept those to half a crop, removing half of the flower buds.
We started pruning in late winter, finish early spring and had a great start to 2013 with a decent amount of moisture in the spring of which we missed out on in 2012, with little rainfall in the summer, good for vineyards - they don't like wet feet! and this also reduces disease/fungal pressure. We spent many hours in the vineyard thinning flower buds and shoots to the amount we thought the plant could ripen the grapes to their full potential. Combing, combing, combing... We also took time to position the growth of the top growing wire downward which allows for better sun penetration to the foliage and fruit, air circulation, easier harvest, and in the end, easier to prune - still looking forward to that. ;) Weeds... It is starting to become easier to keep the row free of "weeds" as the vines continue to have a hardier, more woody trunk.
We allowed our half acre of Brianna, half acre of Frontenac Gris, and acre of Frontenac to have a full crop, leaving most of the flower buds but keeping the amount per plant to 72ish flower buds giving us 72ish grape clusters, ideally. Because of the issues we had in the Marquette and La Crescent vineyard in 2012 spring, we kept those to half a crop, removing half of the flower buds.
Brianna
We harvested our Brianna August 17th at 17 brix. Brianna is harvested a little less ripe to keep the fresh, fruity flavors - that pineapple, banana that we love in the wine!
| *2012 tasting notes Travel to the tropics by way of our Brianna! Enjoy aromas of banana and pineapple with a fruit forward finish on the palate. Pairs well with brie, caviar, oysters, chicken... also great on it's own! |
La Crescent
Our 2013 La Crescent was harvested September 3rd/4th at 23 brix.
| *2012 tasting notes... LA CRESCENT dry / juicy Zesty lime aromas are first to emerge from the nose of our 2012 La Crescent, followed by nectarine and lemongrass tones. The palate is fresh and focused with citrus and green apple. Our La Crescent is a delicious partner to white meats including Chicken, Pork Chop and Turkey. Fish including Tilapia, Sea Bass, Perch, Sole, Haddock, Trout, Cod, Redfish, Halibut, Snapper, Mussels, Crab, Lobster, and Clams- pair with a heavier textured dish so that the acidity of the wine shines through and for a simple wine and cheese night, pair with goat cheese. |
Frontenac Gris
2013 Frontenac Gris harvested September 10th/11th at 25 brix.
| *2012 tasting tasting notes. Take in extravagant aromas of peaches and tropical fruit. Take a sip and enjoy mouth watering flavors of juicy peach and ripe apricot with a lingering finish. Pairs well with shrimp, crab, chicken or ham. |
Marquette
2013 Marquette harvested September 12th, 13th, and 14th at 26 brix.
| *2012 tasting notes. A grape related to Pinot Noir, Marquette exhibits aromas of irresistible vanilla, intriguing red cherry and strawberry seduces your palate and leads to tastes of black pepper, subtle spice and cloves. Marquette finishes with earthy notes and charms the palate with a finial touch of acidity. This versatile wine pairs with everything from rich, unique dishes, to barbecue or weeknight take out! |
Frontenac
3.5 tons were harvested off of our acre of Frontenac September 13th and 14th with a brix of 26.
| *2012 tasting notes. Aged in Oak for 8 months, our Frontenac embodies pepper and oak aromas with a lingering berry finish. Perfect for enjoyment before or after your meal and for pairing with red meat, pasta dishes and grilled foods. |
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to help with harvest this year! We could not have done it without you! After 4 years of growth - the training, the thinning, the combing, the pruning in the bitter cold... It was so rewarding to see such beautiful berries. Looking forward to tasting the 2013 vintages! Cheers!
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