Bloom was observed in the vineyard on Monday, June 13th, which is approximately 1 week behind normal. This vintage seems to be catching up for lost time considering bud break was 3 weeks behind normal.
This Spring, we planted 4 acres or Muscat Canelli grapes and 19 acres of Corcorde grapes. Below are some photos and video clips of our crew installing the vineyard infrastructure.
To prepare the soil for the vineyard, we disked the soil, plowed it, and then smoothed it out. The ground was then marked where to plant each post. A 12 inch trench was dug where we planted each vine and then the soil was pushed back around each vine. All of these steps were accomplished within 1 week.
During week 2, the main line of our irrigation system was installed. The anchor posts, achors, posts, wires, and drip tubes were installed. Water was delivered to the vineyard within 13 days, and all of the vines were watered by day 15. Some of the soil had settled once it was watered, so we went back through and pushed more dirt around the base of each vine.
During week 3, the growth tubes were applied around the base of each vine.
SLIDESHOWS
Below are slideshows of our 2010 Vineyard Run & Grape Stomp. The photos are fantastic! We’d like to send out a big thanks to our photographer Jason Fukura of f/8.3 photography for his great work.
Thank you for the very fun run this morning and very cool 1st place prize! Believe it or not the collar fits perfectly and the leash is the bomb (that’s very good). I have the 1st place ribbon hanging on my crate. See you next year and thanks for the yummy snacks too.
Tony was hired by Mike in 1976. He has been a faithful 34 year veteran on the farm. Starting out as a irrigator, he worked with concrete piping until the farm converted over to PVC piping in the early 80s. There are still a couple concrete pipelines still on the farm.
Tony’s irrigation experience led him to his current title of Airport Ranch Supervisor, where he serves as the liaison between Mike and the non-English speaking crews. Tony manages up to forty employees. He is in charge of all of the vineyard and irrigation crews and oversees the pruning, shoot thinning, crop thinning, suckering, training, harvest, and a myriad of other tasks.
Tony’s favorite task is thinning. His favorite wine is Airfield Riesling. His favorite sport is football. Over the years, Mike has convinced Tony to become a Cougar fan.
Married 39 years to his wife Janie, Tony has raised three boys (Tony, Robert, & Joel) and now has six grandchildren. We would like to salute Tony for being one of Airfield’s finest.
As harvest approaches, we need to accomplish a myriad of jobs in the vineyard to ensure quality, deal with impending problems, and achieve crop requirements. Below are a few examples of our current vineyard tasks:
Bird Control
Now that August has arrived, we are finally reaching the end of our powdery mildew preventative program. When véraison occurs, (the period when berries begin to color and soften), the clusters are no longer susceptible to infestation. With the building of sugars within the grape, comes bird pressure. We do several things to lesson that pressure:
1. We distribute a metallic tape, known as flash tape, throughout the vineyard. The breeze and the bright sun light, create a light show in the vineyard that is disturbing to birds.
2. Secondly we deploy Avalarms throughout the blocks that we traditionally have trouble in. These devices are solar or battery powered and give off amplified distress calls of the birds that habitually feed on the grapes.
3. We also deploy propane powered cannons in areas of highest pressure. These devices are mounted on a rotating platform and are propelled by the concussion of the device and fire bursts of up to three shots per set.
4. We also have some metallic magnetic birds, that we suspend above the canopy. The theory behind this measure is that the magnetic field given off by the birds promotes an uncomfortable feeling in the feeding animals causing them to move on to different venues.
5. One of the final measures to prevent hungry birds from pecking grapes is the use of netting. Bird netting is our maximum deterrent, and it is not deployed until we have observed a substantial amount of bird pecking. Over the years, we have discovered that certain locations and varietals are more susceptible to pecking, such as Zinfandel and Tempranillo. The Zinfandel block is located near cherry orchards and tends to attract lots of Magpies. Tempranillo is a thin-skinned, early ripening grape, and it attracts Robins, Magpies, and Starlings.
All of these measures should be in place before bird feeding begins near the end of August. Protecting the fruit from birds is critical for wine quality. Bird-pecked grapes and berries can harbor bacterial and fungal pathogens that alter the flavor of wine or juice.
Extenday®
Many of you are aware of our use of Extenday, a material that we use to amplify the intensity of sun light in the vineyard. It is a white tarp that is deployed on the floor of the vineyard, running between the rows of vines. This material is stored in the vineyard and is deployed at véraison. At the conclusion of harvest we role it up and attach it to the drip wire. The timing on the deployment is critical and needs to happen when véraison is occurring.
Crop Estimates
Another job that we take on at this time of year is crop estimates. When we start the season we have certain crop loads in mind for each variety. As the season unfolds, we may need to adjust the crop to a lower level of production. Because we fear over thinning, we usually approach the need incrementally. In the springtime, we use a process called Shoot Positioning to reduce the crop and better position the location of the fruit. Those targets may not have been attained. So now we go to the vineyard, count and weigh clusters, and really try to hone in to actual yields. Further crop reductions usually occur after véraison with the removal of whole clusters or portions of the cluster that may not ripen as early. Uniformity is always the key to the best wines. Crop reduction is a real science, and to elaborate beyond this point might be overkill.
Harvester Maintenance
One of our winter jobs is to go through all our harvest equipment and make repairs on wear items, so that during harvest the process goes as smoothly as possible. When spring arrives, some of that work might have gotten shoved to the back burner. So now is the time when we need to finish the process, as harvest is just around the corner.
I am sure I omitted a number of annual requirements, however we will discuss them later. Until then… cheers!
CELLAR TASKS
Harvest is anticipated to commence in mid to late September (a few weeks behind the average starting date). Nevertheless, there is plenty of prep work to do in the cellar. Below is a glimpse at our Winemaker’s Pre-Harvest Check List:
Runners, walkers, & wine enthusiasts braved the frigid October weather and joined Airfield Estates for a 5K Fun Run through the beautiful estate vineyards. As a dog friendly winery, we also had a record number of family dogs that participated.
Before the race, there was a false start — Jax (the winery dog) was a little too eager to get the race started, and he took off before the starting gun sounded. Overall, the race went smoothly. Mike Miller (Airfield Estates Owner) took his usual shortcuts… along with Linda Corpron, who somehow got stuck walking the extra hyper winery dog Jax.
Marcus Miller, Airfield Estates winemaker, did an excellent job finishing fourth overall with a time of 27:24. In first place was Aisling Fernandez with 21:02, followed by Nick Fernandez with 21:03, and Madi Marquez with 27:13. Evan Roe took 1st place for the youth division with a time of 27:32, and Chris Wrede was the proud owner of the beautiful Alaskan Malamute that finished first out of the dogs. The Malamute won the race at the tail end. A barking beagle was in the lead for most of the race, but he got passed by the Malamute when he had to take a stop to go #2.
After a long couple of weeks pulling many late nights, Airfield Estates is back and ready to share the latest harvest happenings. Despite this years harvest being a bit later than last, Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers expects a record yield. This forecast appears no different for Airfield Estates, as things have shifted into high gear.
With all of the whites in except Riesling and Marsanne, the focus has shifted to the reds. Merlot hit the cellar today, proving to be as consistent as ever. Merlot is a Bordeaux variety. It is one of the most heavily planted varieties in the state of WA. Airfield’s block, planted in 1996, consistently produces top quality fruit offering flavors of currant, blackberry, and plum, with notes of clove and peppercorn. Winemaker Marcus Miller believes this years crop may just be the best yet. Listen below as Marcus discusses today’s events
Though a late harvest can raise nerves as season’s changes become a greater risk factor, there is tremendous potential as well as the fruit obtains better acidity and bolder color. Stay tuned for more harvest news and updates as the early mornings and late nights continue on here at Airfield Estates.
Anticipating and preparing for Mother Nature led Winemaker Marcus Miller and Grape Grower Mike Miller to the decision of harvesting and crushing Roussanne and Semillon varieties at Airfield Estates on Oct. 2nd, 2008.
Roussanne is a Rhone style, late ripening variety which is often blended with Marsanne. The Roussanne variety can be temperamental at worst and outstanding at best. Great care and attention must be given to this variety both on the vine and during the Winemaking process. At its peak performance Roussanne adds aromatics, elegance and acidity with the potential to age and further develop in the bottle. This year Airfield Estates may blend the Roussanne harvest with Marsanne and Viognier.
Semillon is a thin-skinned grape often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Both varieties originated in Bordeaux. Sauvignon acidity is often used to coax fuller flavors to life from the Semillon. Though often blended for added balance, this years Semillon juice is tasting so good it may just find itself bottled alone as a single varietal.
Listen below as Winemaker and Grape Grower elaborate on the day:
Stay tuned, we’ll keep you posted as the harvest continues to come off the vine. Next week may bring news of Pinot Gris, Merlot, and possibly Chardonnay.
