Author Archives: Andrew Standeven

Current Grape Availability 10-17-20

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Varietal Amount Still Available for Sale (tons) Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)

(<1 ton)      (>1 ton)
Barbera     SOLD OUT Mid –Late Sept 1.00/lb        0.80/lb
Primitivo  SOLD OUT Mid Sept 1.00/lb        0.95/lb
Touriga  SOLD OUT Mid Sept-Early Oct 1.00/lb        1.00/lb
Quinta*                 SOLD OUT Mid -Late Sept $300/share
       
       

*The Quinta = A field of touriga nacional, tempranillo, tinta cao, souzao, tinta amarela planted in 2004 and 2005.  One share entitles holder to 250 lb of a field blend of Quinta grapes in the proportions that they are harvested this year.  For example, if 40% of the total Quinta production is Touriga, then 40% of each shareholder’s 250 lb allotment will be Touriga.  Harvest will be on a single, specific Saturday to accommodate home winemakers, with date optimized around ripeness of the Touriga Nacional.  The Quinta has historically provided superb grapes for a port-style blend as well as dry red blend.

***Wait list requests on a first-come, first-served basis.  Wait list does not commit to purchase, but should grapes become available, persons/entities on wait list will have 24 hr to commit or not, at which point the next person/entity will be contacted, and so on, until grapes are sold.  

 

Current Grape Availability 10-9-20

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Varietal Amount Still Available for Sale (tons) Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)

(<1 ton)      (>1 ton)
Barbera     0.5 (late harvest) Mid –Late Sept 1.00/lb        0.80/lb
Primitivo  SOLD OUT Mid Sept 1.00/lb        0.95/lb
Touriga  SOLD OUT Mid Sept-Early Oct 1.00/lb        1.00/lb
Quinta*                 SOLD OUT Mid -Late Sept $300/share
       
       

*The Quinta = A field of touriga nacional, tempranillo, tinta cao, souzao, tinta amarela planted in 2004 and 2005.  One share entitles holder to 250 lb of a field blend of Quinta grapes in the proportions that they are harvested this year.  For example, if 40% of the total Quinta production is Touriga, then 40% of each shareholder’s 250 lb allotment will be Touriga.  Harvest will be on a single, specific Saturday to accommodate home winemakers, with date optimized around ripeness of the Touriga Nacional.  The Quinta has historically provided superb grapes for a port-style blend as well as dry red blend.

***Wait list requests on a first-come, first-served basis.  Wait list does not commit to purchase, but should grapes become available, persons/entities on wait list will have 24 hr to commit or not, at which point the next person/entity will be contacted, and so on, until grapes are sold.  

 

Current Grape Availability 9-26-20

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Varietal Amount Still Available for Sale (tons) Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)

(<1 ton)      (>1 ton)
Barbera           2.5 Mid –Late Sept 1.00/lb        0.80/lb
Primitivo  SOLD OUT Mid Sept 1.00/lb        0.95/lb
Touriga         0.70 Mid Sept-Early Oct 1.00/lb        1.00/lb
Quinta*                SOLD OUT Mid -Late Sept $300/share
       
       

 

*The Quinta = A field of touriga nacional, tempranillo, tinta cao, souzao, tinta amarela planted in 2004 and 2005.  One share entitles holder to 250 lb of a field blend of Quinta grapes in the proportions that they are harvested this year.  For example, if 40% of the total Quinta production is Touriga, then 40% of each shareholder’s 250 lb allotment will be Touriga.  Harvest will be on a single, specific Saturday to accommodate home winemakers, with date optimized around ripeness of the Touriga Nacional.  The Quinta has historically provided superb grapes for a port-style blend as well as dry red blend.

***Wait list requests on a first-come, first-served basis.  Wait list does not commit to purchase, but should grapes become available, persons/entities on wait list will have 24 hr to commit or not, at which point the next person/entity will be contacted, and so on, until grapes are sold.  

 

Grape Chemistry 9-20-20

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Varietal Date Sugar (Brix) pH Total Acidity (%)
Primitivo (Block 6) 8-22-20 22.9 3.37 0.82
  8-29-20 24.2 3.45 0.84
  9-05-20 25.1 3.46 0.73
         
Barbera (Block 4) 8-22-20 24.0 3.14 1.37
  8-29-20 24.2 3.17 1.10
  9-05-20 25.8 3.20 1.04
         
Touriga (Quinta) 9-05-20 21.9 3.44 0.58
  9-13-20 23.8 3.52 0.52
         
Touriga (non-Quinta) 9-13-20 23.0 3.40 0.52
  9-20-20 23.9 3.50 0.56
         
         
         
         
         
touriga (non-Quinta) 9-15-19 22.0 3.35 0.62
         

Grape Chemistry 9-13-20

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Varietal Date Sugar (Brix) pH Total Acidity (%)
Primitivo (Block 6) 8-22-20 22.9 3.37 0.82
  8-29-20 24.2 3.45 0.84
  9-05-20 25.1 3.46 0.73
         
Barbera (Block 4) 8-22-20 24.0 3.14 1.37
  8-29-20 24.2 3.17 1.10
  9-05-20 25.8 3.20 1.04
         
         
Touriga (Quinta) 9-05-20 21.9 3.44 0.58
  9-13-20 23.8 3.52 0.52
Touriga (non-Quinta) 9-13-20 23.0 3.40 0.52
         
         
         
         
         
         
touriga (non-Quinta) 9-15-19 22.0 3.35 0.62
         

Current Grape Availability 9-9-20

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Varietal Amount Still Available for Sale (tons) Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)

(<1 ton)      (>1 ton)
Barbera           2.5 Mid Sept 1.00/lb        0.80/lb
Primitivo  WAITLIST* Mid Sept 1.00/lb        0.95/lb
Touriga         0.25 Mid Sept-Early Oct 1.00/lb        1.00/lb
Quinta**                WAITLIST* Mid -Late Sept $300/share
       
       

*Wait list requests on a first-come, first-served basis.  Wait list does not commit to purchase, but should grapes become available, persons/entities on wait list will have 24 hr to commit or not, at which point the next person/entity will be contacted, and so on, until grapes are sold.  

**The Quinta = A field of touriga nacional, tempranillo, tinta cao, souzao, tinta amarela planted in 2004 and 2005.  One share entitles holder to 250 lb of a field blend of Quinta grapes in the proportions that they are harvested this year.  For example, if 40% of the total Quinta production is Touriga, then 40% of each shareholder’s 250 lb allotment will be Touriga.  Harvest will be on a single, specific Saturday to accommodate home winemakers, with date optimized around ripeness of the Touriga Nacional.  The Quinta has historically provided superb grapes for a port-style blend as well as dry red blend.

***Wait list requests on a first-come, first-served basis.  Wait list does not commit to purchase, but should grapes become available, persons/entities on wait list will have 24 hr to commit or not, at which point the next person/entity will be contacted, and so on, until grapes are sold.  

 

Grape Chemistry 9-5-20

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Varietal Date Sugar (Brix) pH Total Acidity (%)
Primitivo (Block 6) 8-22-20 22.9 3.37 0.82
  8-29-20 24.2 3.45 0.84
  9-05-20 25.1 3.46 0.73
         
Barbera (Block 4) 8-22-20 24.0 3.14 1.37
  8-29-20 24.2 3.17 1.10
  9-05-20 25.8 3.20 1.04
         
         
Touriga (Quinta) 9-05-20 21.9 3.44 0.58
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
touriga (non-Quinta) 9-15-19 22.0 3.35 0.62
         

Current Grape Availability 9-5-20

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Varietal Amount Still Available for Sale (tons) Expected Optimal Harvest Time

Price ($)

(<1 ton)      (>1 ton)
Barbera           2.5 Mid Sept 1.00/lb        0.80/lb
Primitivo  WAITLIST* Mid Sept 1.00/lb        0.95/lb
Touriga         0.6 Mid Sept-Early Oct 1.00/lb        1.00/lb
Quinta**                WAITLIST* Mid -Late Sept $300/share
       
       

*Wait list requests on a first-come, first-served basis.  Wait list does not commit to purchase, but should grapes become available, persons/entities on wait list will have 24 hr to commit or not, at which point the next person/entity will be contacted, and so on, until grapes are sold.  

**The Quinta = A field of touriga nacional, tempranillo, tinta cao, souzao, tinta amarela planted in 2004 and 2005.  One share entitles holder to 250 lb of a field blend of Quinta grapes in the proportions that they are harvested this year.  For example, if 40% of the total Quinta production is Touriga, then 40% of each shareholder’s 250 lb allotment will be Touriga.  Harvest will be on a single, specific Saturday to accommodate home winemakers, with date optimized around ripeness of the Touriga Nacional.  The Quinta has historically provided superb grapes for a port-style blend as well as dry red blend.

***Wait list requests on a first-come, first-served basis.  Wait list does not commit to purchase, but should grapes become available, persons/entities on wait list will have 24 hr to commit or not, at which point the next person/entity will be contacted, and so on, until grapes are sold.  

 

Vineyard Diary 9-2-20

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The last few weeks have brought the inevitable and usually unavoidable high heat of late summer in the Foothills, with an absolutely brutal stretch of 105-110 F days a couple weeks ago that made the temperature readings in the 90s after they abated feel like cool fall weather. In fact, that wasn’t the beginning of fall, but just a reprieve before the next string of 100 F plus days forecast over Labor Day weekend and extending an unknown period into the future. Temperatures have moderated of late a few degrees compliments of a variable haze–not smoky-smelling, but hazy– from distant wild fires burning all over the state right now. Fortunately, there have been none nearby to date.

In the vineyard, the fact that we are actively managing only some of our vineyard blocks has allowed us to divert finite irrigation water to the actively managed blocks and get through this hot period so far. Our Primitivo and the first wave of our Barbera in particular will need to be nursed through this period until their harvest in about 10 days. We’ve reached full veraison in all of the grapes at this point, and our small planting of white muscat grapes is already harvested. Bird pressure has been modest this year; the roll out of nets is something our house cats look forward to every year, and their patrolling of the nets for song birds caught within results in a lot of feathers getting left at our doorstep, and happy cats. It also seems to temper birds’ interest in the grapes.

We have a little more time to prep before what is likely to be a rapid succession of harvests beginning with the Barbera and Primtivo, followed by our Quinta block, and finishing with our non-Quinta touriga, possibly all in September. We do have quantities of all but the Quinta still available for sale, and the wait to harvest will not be long now. Hopefully the grapes, and in particular the wines made from them, can be something positive we can look back on from 2020…