While we were being battered about for a day and a half I thought about the Philippines who really got smacked days before, and took the edge off of this whirling giant of a storm that still had a lot to say many thousands of miles later. The tree crews were out on Vineyard right in the middle of it just to remove the small branches, while a few slumbering giants were toppled or lost a heavy arm or two in the 50+ mile an hour winds that raged on across our hills and valleys. The earth sucked it all up like a giant sponge on a tiny spill- thanks – got more? I was sure my remaining 10 acres of Mourvedre, Zinfandel (especially), Brunello and Cabernet Franc would suffer after 11.5 inches pounded the clusters on a horizontal slant, but it all came through amazingly well, helped along by the following week of 80 degree weather that brought my sugars up to snuff, thankfully!
In all, the harvest year turned out some excellent quality across all our varieties, due in great part to the 35% reduction in crop load from a late spring freeze, which I felt persecuted by all summer and and now I see the light. I am sure the grander purposes at large are unaware of my hopeful schemes.
Hoy.
