Current Grape Chemistry as of 8-26-12

Varietal

Date

Sugar (Brix)

pH

Total Acidity (%)

Primitivo

8-19-12

21.1

3.32

1.03

8-26-12

21.5

3.37

0.92

Tempranillo

8-19-12

19.4

3.48

0.54

8-26-12

21.3

3.63

0.46

Barbera

8-26-12

21.8

3.05

1.34

 

Comments:  The primitivo made incremental ripening progress across the board.  We were expecting more progress in sugar given the warm, sunny week just past, but the timing of irrigation relative to the sampling, and sampling error itself, probably caused the brix value to bounce around a little.  The healthy drop in acidity suggests that there might be some irrigation dilution factored in.  Nevertheless, it’s now looking like a solidly mid-September harvest, so 2-3 weeks out.

 

The tempranillo made healthy progress across the board.  We anticipate the TA being below 0.40% when the brix are acceptable.  We’re projecting harvest as 2 weeks out for the tempranillo.

 

The first reading for barbera, which we took mainly to show some data to our many barbera clients, shows the expected decent brix level coupled with the characteristically high acidity.    Late September remains a good bet here, but the values are encouraging enough that we might refine that to mid-late September with some more data.  Crop load and cluster size is modest, so time is on our side if we can avoid a major heat spike.

Current Grape Availability as of 8-24-12

 

Varietal

Amount Still Available for Sale

Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)/lb

(<1000 lb/ > 1000 lb)

Barbera

SOLD   OUT#

Late   September

0.75/0.65

 Primitivo

SOLD   OUT

Early-Mid   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga Nacional*

1.0   tons

Late   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga Nacional**

0.25   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.80/0.70

Tempranillo**

SOLD   OUT

Early   September

0.70

Tinta   Cao**

250 lbs

Late   September

0.65

#Shaker Ridge has committed all the barbera  that it can comfortably commit for 2012.  However, if we meet our yield targets, then an additional  1-2 tons of barbera may become available once current commitments are met.  If you would like to be on a first-come, first-served wait list (no obligation) for 2012 barbera, please contact us.  Our wait list for 2012 primitivo is now full.

*2009 grafted.

**Quinta

Current Grape Availability-8-23-12

Varietal

Amount Still Available for Sale

Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)/lb

(<1000 lb/ > 1000 lb)

Barbera

SOLD   OUT#

Late   September

0.75/0.65

 Primitivo

SOLD   OUT#

Early-Mid   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga  Nacional*

1.0   tons

Late   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga Nacional**

0.25   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.80/0.70

Tempranillo**

SOLD   OUT

Early   September

0.70

Tinta   Cao**

250 lbs

Late   September

0.65

#Shaker Ridge has committed all the barbera and primitivo that it can comfortably commit for 2012.  However, if we meet our yield targets, then an additional ~1 ton of primitivo and 1-2 tons of barbera may become available once current commitments are met.  If you would like to be on a first-come, first-served wait list (no obligation) for these varietals, please contact us.

*2009 grafted.

**Quinta

 

Current Grape Availability as of 8-22-12

 

Varietal

Amount Still Available for Sale

Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)/lb

(<1000 lb/ > 1000 lb)

Barbera

2.1   tons

Late   September

0.75/0.65

 Primitivo

SOLD   OUT#

Early-Mid   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga  Nacional*

1.0   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga Nacional**

0.5   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.80/0.70

Tempranillo**

SOLD   OUT

Early   September

0.70

Tinta   Cao**

250 lbs

Late   September

0.65

#Shaker Ridge has committed all the primitivo that it can comfortably commit for 2012.  However, if we meet our yield targets, then up to an additional ~1 ton of primitivo may become available once current commitments are met.  If you would like to be on a first-come, first-served wait list (no obligation) for up to 1 ton of primitivo, please contact us.

*2009 grafted.

**Quinta

Current Grape Availability as of 8-21-12

Varietal

Amount Still Available for Sale

Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)/lb

(<1000 lb/ > 1000 lb)

Barbera

2.1   tons

Late   September

0.75/0.65

 Primitivo

0.6   tons

Early-Mid   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga  Nacional*

1.0   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga  Nacional**

0.5   tons

Late   September

0.80/0.70

Tempranillo**

SOLD   OUT

Early   September

0.70

Tinta   Cao**

250 lbs

Late   September

0.65

*2009 grafted.

**Quinta

Grape Chemistry 8-19-12

Varietal

Date

Sugar (Brix)

pH

Total Acidity (%)

Primitivo

8-19-12

21.1

3.32

1.03

Tempranillo

8-19-12

19.4

3.48

0.54

 

Comments:  Primitivo off to a good start and looking approximately 3 weeks till harvest.  Tempranillo a little disappointing on the brix and showing relatively low acid typical for the varietal, also about 3 weeks out.  Random cluster samples taken from entire primitivo and tempranillo blocks, respectively.  Brix measurements by refractometry this season.

Current Grape Availability as of 8-16-12

Varietal

Amount Still Available for Sale

Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)/lb

(<1000 lb/ > 1000 lb)

Barbera

2.9   tons

Late   September

0.75/0.65

 Primitivo

0.8   tons

Early-Mid   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga  Nacional*

1.0   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga   Nacional**

1.0   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.80/0.70

Tempranillo**

SOLD   OUT

Early   September

0.70

Tinta   Cao**

250 lbs

Late   September

0.65

*2009 grafted.

**Quinta

Current Grape Availability as of 8-10-12

 

Varietal

Amount Still Available for Sale

Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)/lb

(<1000 lb/ > 1000 lb)

Barbera

3.0   tons

Late   September

0.75/0.65

 Primitivo

3.8   tons

Early-Mid   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga   Nacional*

1.0   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga  Nacional**

1.0   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.80/0.70

Tempranillo**

SOLD   OUT

Early   September

0.70

Tinta   Cao**

250 lbs

Late   September

0.65

*2009 grafted.

**Quinta

Current Grape Availability as of 8-7-12

 

Varietal

Amount Still Available for Sale

Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)/lb

(<1000 lb/ > 1000 lb)

Barbera

3.2   tons

Late   September

0.75/0.65

 Primitivo

3.8   tons

Early-Mid   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga   Nacional*

1.0   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.75/0.65

Touriga  Nacional**

1.0   tons

Mid-Late   September

0.80/0.70

Tempranillo**

SOLD   OUT

Early   September

0.70

Tinta   Cao**

250 lbs

Late   September

0.65

*2009 grafted.

**Quinta

Vineyard Diary 8-6-12

What a difference a year makes.  The 2012 grape crop got off to a late start for the third consecutive year, and late spring was on the cool side once again.  But the summer has brought plenty of seasonable sunshine and heat, with the net result of a rapid catch-up in ripening times to what will likely be “normal” harvest times, if there is such a thing.  We’ve had multiple heat waves into the low triple digits, with another on the way this week.  Mercifully, these have been punctuated by cooler spells with daytime highs in the upper 80s to low 90s.  As one long-time local recently commented to me, the 100s make the 90s feel nice, and that’s very true.

At Shaker Ridge, we completed what we expect will be all the cluster thinning that will be required already in July, a first for us.  Fruit set in the barbera, tempranillo, tinta cao, and Quinta touriga was moderate; fruit set was heavy in the primitivo and 2009 touriga, and fruit dropping was accordingly aggressive.  In the primitivo, we are additionally in the process of dropping “second” fruit, which is heavy on some vines.

We completed installation of new overhead netting in our Quinta vineyard, replacing older netting that was requiring excessive time to repair inevitable holes.  Thus, the thousands of song birds in the area are in for some disappointment when they approach Quinta Fort Knox.  We will soon deploy additional netting directly on vines in portions of our primitivo and 2009 touriga vineyards that are most subject to marauding birds.  Also at this time of year, our outside cats know to patrol the nets for avian snacks, a practice we don’t discourage.

Various quantities of each of our varietals remain for sale as of this date (see Current Grape Availability).  We look forward to providing excellent quality wine grapes from the 2012 vintage to our new and repeat clients.  We will begin posting to this Grower Update page our customary weekly measurements of grape chemistry from our sampling, beginning with the earliest ripening varieties, tempranillo and primitivo, in mid- to late-August.