Learning to Use a Refractometer

Learning to use the refractometer to test maturity of our Syrah grapes.

Welcome Followers!

OK, now I know who my REAL friends are - all of you who have already signed onto my blog as Followers! It's so great to have old friends along (Joyce and Lynda!!) as well as some new ones like Lynn Danchuk and Brad Nack. Even a celebrity has joined our group - Sherlock Holmes! What an honor, Sherlock :-) Anyway, as I become more familiar with how to do this, I will start incorporating photos and links to make it really fun! In fact, I took some photos out in the vineyard yesterday and will try to get them on here over the weekend. See you soon, and welcome again.

Week Two

So it's the end of my second week at Viticulture school, and I'm already feeling more comfortable with a lot of the terminology and concepts. Now when the teacher talks about Brix, veraison, terroir (tear-wah), vegetative vigor, split canopies, canes, cordons, and shoots, I don't stare at her like she has two heads! Seemed like a short week, but I've learned so much. The lectures are interesting, but not nearly as effective as actually being out in the vineyard, and we had a full day of it today. Walking all the different varietal blocks, observing vines in all stages of development, discussing how to 'train' the vines to different trellis systems, and having a lot of fun learning how to use a refractometer (measures the percentage of sugar in the juice - as the sugar increases, acidity decreases) to sample the grapes' juices to determine when they will be ready for picking - and how that is affected by the style of the wine you want to make. For example, if you want to make a light Rose from the Syrah grapes, you would pick them earlier, and conversely if you wanted to make a big, bold red, you would leave them on the vine weeks longer. Not too complicated!

This evening was another fun night out with my "vacation rental" hosts Chris and Laura Hagar at the Sonoma Wine Club in Sebastopol, where we discovered a wonderful wine to enjoy with dessert - Field Recordings from Koligian Vineyards in Paso Robles (Central Valley) - an interesting and delicious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and a couple others I've never heard of! Had to buy a bottle for my 'cellar' at a reasonable $32. We were joined by several of their friends who were out following an evening at their "Science Buzz" Thursday night lecture: retired UC Berkeley Political Science professor, retired Physics professor, and retired mechanical engineer. Lively discussion.

Back to classes next Tuesday.

Who Likes Grenache?

Well, it's back to San Luis Obispo this morning - will return to classes next Tuesday. I'll be a "commuter" for a while until I locate permanent housing.

Last night I was graciously treated to dinner and wine tasting by my vacation rental hosts, Laura and Chris Hagar, at the Sonoma Wine Club in Sebastopol. We tasted some nice reds and I was wowed by a 2005 Mathis Grenache - gorgeous deep reddish purple color, and my nose detected what I described as peppery, but was more appropriately classified by the wine expert as cherry and spice. In any event, I loved it and was happy to know it only costs $30 a bottle!

I can already see I won't be satisfied drinking two-buck Chuck from Trader Joe's much longer!

First Steps

This morning I finally got to take my first steps (ever!) in a real vineyard - Santa Rosa Junior College's Shone Farm. Major focus of this class (Fall Practices) will be observing and monitoring the development stages of the grapes and learning when they are "ready" to be picked. Research and lab reports look to be extensive - i.e. lots of work!!

Finally, we get to the "fun" part - Thursday afternoons, WINE 42.1 Winery Practices. In this class, we are actually going to produce the 2010 vintage of Shone Farms wines! We are going to pick, crush, ferment, and bottle one ton each of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel. Class began with everyone getting to pour themselves a glass of Shone Farms Sauvignon Blanc and toasting the new semester - ! SB has never been one of my favorites, but this one was surprisingly good, acidic and almost tart. I didn't realize the college had a bonded winery - i.e., the wines WE will produce at Shone Farms will be sold for profit. (The vineyard and winery actually "support" the entire farm operation which includes a forest, apple orchards, olives, and all the livestock for the agriculture program: horses, cows, lambs.) This is going to be a great class!

The Vineyard

Our "learning" vineyard is at Shone Farm in Forestville - a beautiful spot shared with the Agriculture Program students. Today's first lesson in Vineyard Management took place in a classroom replete with posters of the skeletal system of the horse and a "back half of the cow" statue (life size) that appeared to open on hinges - I'm guessing to reveal the workings where all the milk comes from!? We did not actually get into the vineyard today, but I could see it from the open doorway (!) It was actually relaxing to hear horses and sheep in the stalls next to the teaching pavilion all through class...

This particular class will feature a different guest speaker each week. Today we learned about viticultural "issues" specific to Sonoma County from Rhonda Smith, a Farm Advisor with the University of California's Cooperative Extension Program. Now I know all about Vine Mealybug (which can actually LIVE through the grape pressing cycle!), Pierce's Disease (all the grape leaves turn red) and Berry Shrivel - which is exactly what it sounds like!! Our major project for this class involves the written and oral presentation of a complete vineyard budget spreadsheet. As the instructor was explaining this assignment, I looked around the room and noticed a number of "deer in the headlight" faces....just like mine!

Jealous

Last night in class (big class, 40+ people but I'm sure the herd will get thinned out in a couple of weeks) we went around the room and introduced ourselves and told the class why we were taking this course. Wow, several students have parents who own vineyards ("my Mom just planted six acres of Chardonnay" - little brat!) and there were at least two married couples who have just bought vineyards and plan to have wineries. A few who are already working for wineries or vineyards, like my new friend Eduardo. Interesting mix of people and my little brain is already working overtime (contacts!). No classes today. Time to explore the area.

First Day of Viticulture School

It's great to be a student again! Love the Santa Rosa Junior College campus. This semester only one class will be on campus (lecture) and the rest will be hands-on at Shone Farm vineyards.

First class up, Basic Wine Grape Viticulture. Tonight we learned about the history of grapes and wine, origin of THE vine, Vitis vinifera (present day Georgia - NOT the U.S. State, but the area between the Caspian and Black Seas), and how grape cuttings were distributed around the world. CLIMATE - temperature - determines what kinds of grapes grow where. Cabernet grapes like it warmer; Chardonnay grapes prefer cooler temps.

Macroclimate, Mesoclimate, Microclimate, Root stocks and Degree Days, Phylloxera, scions and cultivars. My head is already spinning.

I learned a new word: Vigneron. That's someone who grows the grapes AND makes the wine.

I have a new friend in class, Eduardo. Just graduated from high school and is already working in a vineyard. So cute - so young! He did not have his lecture material printed out so I shared mine...looks like I might have to keep an eye on this one. You know, as a mentor :-)