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Finger Lakes UPDATES


Don Giovanni

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I am visiting Rochester. We have a couple of inches on the ground, and it is snowing steadily. But it is 33 degrees out, so while things are white they are also wet and drippy. How do you know if this injures the buds? Do they fall off? Are they still really only in bud? Many of the trees here have started to leaf out.

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nothing short of divine intervention or living near a deep lake in the "Banana Belt section " we saw coldest 31 F no damage... north and west of us the frost demons were cruel ... they saw lows 28F ... very impressed with that deep lake 750 FT and the micro-climate ... East Seneca, again comes through ...

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

sorry I have been very busy...

Dry and hot in the FLX:::

not a bad thing for those vineyards spared from the ravaging frost devils this spring ... the crop once thinned by nature and once thinned by our wandering vineyard crew is looking very impressive... dare I say on line to be like 01'05'and 07' could I witness and partake of the forth vintage of a lifetime in the FLX ?

the weeds are not a issue in hot years ... humidity is very low no molds etc to worry about... the spraying is at a record low... some potash will be applied to bost the potassium after the regular fertilizer takes hold...

Jap beetles that are usually a problem are not this year yet...

so I sit thinking at this point we still have a long way to go,but the vintage maybe the best yet in the FLX could be a very nice ending to what was a very cruel start...

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  • 3 weeks later...

FLX update... the drought weather has caused some of us to drop fruit to take the stress off the crop... we did get a break and some rain fell the past week for a few days... the rain did give the crop a good bath and take pressure off the vines... more importantly the fertilizer now wet has a chance to be taken up by the vine and much needed nitrogen will be delivered... after a hot and warm winter we all thought the bugs would be a problem... we to date have seen very little pressure from pests ... low pressure from a very low humid summer has helped with minimal pressure of mold and mildews... I ask myself is this what growing in a warm dry climate is all about ?

looking at small tight berries at this point and starting to hold my breath as we get over the hump of the growing season...

in short thing look perfect and I hate to use that word...

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  • 4 weeks later...

FLX ::: Update the grapes wht esp... three weeks early... the past week sugar production has been slow due to the clouds... all we need is some dry hot sunny days and it's off to the races for what could be a very good to great vintage... that said it's too early to start dancing... all eyes on the sun :)

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FLX ::: update harvest started today ... Aurora grapes a neutral wht grape used for blending... I was up early sun-up and saw crews at work on the East Side in Wagners vineyard then ... many fruit wines use this grape as a base ... earliest I have ever seen in 12 years and beat 2001 by 2 weeks and that was early due to the 01' drought... ninth inning all eyes on the pitcher mother nature ...

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  • 2 weeks later...

2012 harvest perfect, close ? ::

The air is warm, whispering Willows sway in the wind, smells of earth, flowers, grapes envelope my senses, the taste of G-d's fruit smacks my lips, chewing the seeds, tasting flavor, tannins, sugar, nectar of the gods, the delivery of the vintage, offering four corners of the vineyard to charity, butterflies dance, bees delight, workers scamper in a rhythm, wondrous adventures aromas of juice flowing ...

looking great to spectacular ...

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FLX: update the harvest has stopped due to the rain... it started very early and the hybrids most of them are in... this leaves us like last year with the hope mother nature does not drench us too much in the bottom of the ninth inning... was out very early taking samples and although I like to compare this to the 07' vintage ... she is no 07' from this days perspective ... give us 10 days sun then a bit of rain then 10 more days of sun...and I will give you perfection ... give me prolonged rain and I will have sour grapes and they seem to be going around today...

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  • 3 weeks later...

in the next 14 days it's time to finish harvest ... why push it... things are great and the frost ghost is knocking on the door... the grapes this year at least the ones brought in the FLX region from my perspective are some of the very best... now if the wine-makers don't drop the ball the vintage will be great ... I don't drop balls at this point in my life... our vintage thus far is perfect if I do say so myself... Cheers !!!

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  • 3 weeks later...

FLX::: Update

well the harvest is in and done for 95% of us in the FLX region... we are thankful for the help in pressing help that was bestowed upon us by several of our friends in the region...

this year was very good, but not 07' just close ...the flavors are intense and it's up to the wine-makers not to over extract this year... it's a year of the easy touch...

4 to 6 weeks earlier than normal and the earliest harvest we have brought in thus far in 12 years... frost will hit our region in the next day or two... the fork is well placed this year and it's humbling to work with such great grapes...

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