We had a bit of a scare this week. A storm hovered off the coast for several days and each day the forecast was for rain – from a 75% chance to a 40% chance — depending on the day or the forecaster. We may have dodged the bullet — it drizzled for a brief moment but nothing substantial. We need rain, especially a light rain to get some cover growing in the fire areas, but rain during harvest is the winemakers nemesis.
The winemaker is faced with some tough decisions. If the grapes are almost ready, but not quite, does he pick them as rapidly as possible before the storm, or does he gamble and wait. A light shower followed by warm and breezy days will not affect the grapes, but an inch or more can cause swelling and skin break that leads to rot.
Bruce McGuire, our winemaker, is a gambler. I don’t recall his ever taking the first option — picking before the storm — he wants the grapes at their optimum in ripeness and flavor and he is right almost all of the time, if not all of the time.
Next week the forecast is for a warming trend.
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