This year, we experienced significant rain events during August, September, and October, as the aftermath of tropical storms passed through the area and dropped higher than average amounts of rainfall. This excessive rainfall caused our cover crops, vine canopy, and weeds to explode with growth, leading Tom and our H2A vineyard team to work even harder than normal to keep the vegetation in check and the grapes healthy.

As we ran lab samples in September, it was clear that harvest would be later than normal both at the estate vineyard and our grower vineyards.  Each week, we waited for brix levels to rise, and monitored the condition of the fruit.  Harvest began on September 17th, with a pick of our very first estate-grown Chardonnay (pictured below) from our new vineyard and the harvest continued with Pinot Noir and Riesling being harvested through mid-to late October.   

As this post goes to press, harvest is complete, but we still have many active fermentations bubbling away in the cellar. The 2021 season was a challenging one, requiring a significant amount of personal sacrifice, commitment, and resiliency to bring in the harvest, and make the wine.  We are happy to have this one behind us, but are excited about the potential of the wine!

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Below, our botanical drawings show close-up views of the transition to veraison. After bloom and fruit set – the grape berries are formed and cell division within the berries causes the grapes to grow rapidly and take on weight. Eventually, cell division ceases, and the subsequent berry growth is caused primarily by cell expansion.

About 5 – 7 weeks after fruit set, veraison begins in the vineyard. During veraison the firm, green berries begin to soften and change color as they expand and accumulate sugar. Veraison happens for both red and white grapes, but the color change is more dramatic on our red grapes.  Hungry birds are quick to notice the color change, and will soon begin to peck at the fruit in search of a new source of food. For this reason, the first signs of veraison set off a flurry of activity in our vineyard as our crew rushes to roll out and secure the nets to keep the birds away from the grapes.  

During the 4 – 6 weeks after veraison, sugar levels, grape skin pigments, and flavor compounds rise while acid levels fall. Ideally, harvest begins when the fruit has reached desired levels of ripeness. 

This year, Tom recorded the start of veraison in the original Estate Vineyard on August 3rd (image below). The Pommard clone of Pinot Noir was the furthest along at this point, and some purple berries were also beginning to emerge for clones 667 and 777.

As this post goes to press, we have veraison through both the original and new estate vineyard. The team rolled out the nets just before veraison started and we are doing our best to keep the hungry birds at bay. Hoping for the weather to remain favorable so that this beautiful fruit reaches its best potential for the vintage!

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Below, our botanical drawings show a close-up view of bloom and fruit set. During bloom, the flower clusters lengthen and the various parts of the grape flower emerge. Grape flowers have similar anatomy to other flowers in the plant kingdom – with anthers carrying the pollen that will fertilize the ovary and produce fruit. Our grapes are self-pollinating, meaning that they require no intervention from pollinator insects. During bloom, we hope for warm, dry weather which allows flowers to pollinate evenly, and results in even fruit set and beautifully formed clusters of potential grapes for the vintage. 

This year, Tom recorded the start of trace bloom in the original Estate Vineyard on June 7th, and full bloom on June 10th (image 1 below). The new Estate Vineyard block was a bit further behind, with full bloom on June 12th. Fortunately, after a bit of rain on June 7th and 8th, Mother Nature graced us with mostly dry weather between June 10th and 20th and we are happy with the quality and consistency of fruit set (image 2) throughout the entire vineyard.

As this post goes to press, fruit set is complete and the berries are beginning to swell and put on weight. The team is busy doing shoot positioning and is moving the bird nets into position in advance of veraison later this summer. We continue to hope for the perfect amount of rainfall and sunshine to shepherd the vines and grapes safely through the growing season!

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Our botanical drawing shows the parts of the vine that start to become visible for the first time during this stage of growth. Shoots emerge rapidly, leaf blades gradually unfurl, growing tips reach for the sky, and tendrils reach for wires to clasp.  And of course, the flower clusters emerge – the beautiful compact structures from which grape flowers will emerge in just a few weeks.

The photo gallery below shows just how rapidly the transition happened this year. On May 9th (image 1), we had early shoot growth through much of the Estate Vineyard, and a few leaves were beginning to emerge. On May 16th, just one week later (image 2), shoots were around 5 inches long, and some were accompanied by between 4 – 6 leaves. Just two days later on May 19th (image 3), flower clusters became more visible throughout much of the vineyard.

The vines continue to grow at a rapid pace and will require care and tending to keep them on the right track. At present, the team is busy eliminating redundant buds and sucker shoots, weeding, and preparing for the next stage of growth. While there is much work to do, it is a joy to walk the vines each day to see the lush green canopy begin to take form.

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After a cold, nail-biter of a week in late April, we are thrilled to report that we have bud break throughout the Heart & Hands Estate vineyard!

This year, we had an unseasonably warm March and early April, which brought the vine’s winter dormancy to a close.  These warm temperatures roused the vines from their slumber, causing sap to move in the vine.  As temperatures warm, the buds begin to swell and then ultimately “burst” or “break” and leaves begin to emerge, leaving the plants more vulnerable to cold. By mid-April, we had bud swell on both Pinot Noir and Riesling and about 1 centimeter of growth.  

The weather forecast shifted in the middle of April, with worrisome sub-freezing temperatures in the forecast.  On the evening of April 21st, the overnight forecast was 27 – 28 degrees Fahrenheit, with a northwest wind.  We were hopeful that the warm(er) waters of Cayuga lake would protect the vineyard, but only time would tell.  Tom checked our weather station in the morning and learned our temperatures were below freezing for half an hour, with a low of 28.  At this point, all we could do was wait for warmer temperatures to arrive, and for the vines to begin growing again.

During the next few days, there was a gradual warming trend, along with a few more cold evenings.  Fortunately, by the following week, signs of life began to emerge again in the vineyard.  As of April 28th, we saw bud break resume sporadically in the vineyard:

April 28: Pinot Noir Bud Break in our lower block

About a week and a half later, we saw healthy growth throughout most of the vineyard, and we began to feel more optimistic about the vineyard’s potential.

May 9: Buds fully burst, and leaves beginning to emerge

Now that the buds have broken, the new leaves and shoots will grow extremely quickly for several weeks. It is a truly awe-inspiring time to be in the vineyard, as it rapidly transitions from dormant brown canes to a field filled with bright green vines, bursting with life.  

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People often ask what we do with all of our “free time” during the winter months, but the truth is that a dormant vineyard requires plenty of care and tending to prepare for the upcoming growing season.  In early March, we were thrilled when our H-2A vineyard team members returned to our vineyard after their seasonal trip home to Mexico.  This is our second year of collaborating with these gentlemen who did a superb job of keeping the vineyard in tip-top shape in 2020.  In just 2 days they performed the first pass of pruning on both of our vineyard blocks. 

After the first pruning pass, Tom began tying each vine in the vineyard. Our H-2A team leaves 2 fruiting canes on each vine, and Tom makes the final decision on which cane will bear this year’s fruit. When considering which cane to choose, he evaluates the node spacing (distance between the buds), the number of buds, and the thickness of the cane, and other factors. He prunes away the other cane, and then wraps the selected cane around the fruiting wire and ties it to the fruiting wire to position the vine is properly for growth.  

After we complete tying, we wait for bud break and the start of the growing season. The warm weather in March and April means that the plants are waking up. A cold snap is predicted for this week, so we hope that the warm water of Cayuga Lake protects the vines and the buds that are beginning to emerge.

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