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The
vineyard was plotted to avoid disturbing 25 large Oak trees, and after much
research, we left the top 24 inches of soil that Mother Nature spent millions of
years building intact, and then planted four Dijon clones on SO4 rootstock
mirroring some of the best vineyards in Burgundy. Careful
irrigation helps
the
shallow roots control the vigor of the vines.
One of the
tallest trellis systems in the county, seven feet, three inches by design,
allows for spreading canes up and down from a center fruit zone without layering
more than one-and-a-half leaves, and eliminates the need to hedge a balanced
vine. The eight-foot canopy height and eight-foot isle width provide the
one-to-one ratio needed for the right amount of sunlight on the fruit. The tall
trellis and the row orientation also hang
the fruit out to dry as if the bunches were clipped to a clothesline.
With buds
bursting earlier than most other vineyards in the Russian River Valley/Sonoma
Coast, and
earlier veraison triggered partly by irrigation timing, there is plenty of time
for canes to lignify, and for berries to develop all of their phenolics and
ripen tannins.
Above is Nunes mowing in 1999 and Dorothy's block
March 2004.
Lot's happened between:
Establishment Photos
Vineyard Blocks (PDF) |
