What a season we had this year. Perhaps the worst growing season ever for so many reasons. In any one year we may get impacted, ever so slightly, by drought, gophers, mildew, bears, leaf hoppers, birds or forest fires.
This year we had them all at maximum damage and the result was for all extensive purposes a lost crop. The key impact was the mildew pressure which damaged the leaves of the vines and therefore the ability of the vines to accumulate sugars in the ripening period, so the quality of the grapes were going to be lower. But add in the leaf hoppers and drought, that furthered the damage. We did some mildew spraying for the first time in 18 years but by then the damage had set in.
We did have some of the varieties looking good going into mid-September but while away and in the span of a week, we had a family of bears break the fence and enter the vineyard and consumed the best of the grapes we had. In doing so the bears broke the netting and tore several vines from the trellises breaking some vines at the trunk and arms.
With the netting down the birds, in numbers and diversity of species that we've never seen before, took thier toll and the results is as stated.
Unfortunately, with the vine damage it will be at least a year to regrow the damaged vines to their pre-damage condition and we have nets to mend and replace, not to mention a new fence to erect and reinforce with additional electric wires.
Aside from the fence, net, and vine repairs as noted - looking ahead we now have a fungal spray program that starts this fall with a dormant spray and continues next year.
Despite it all, we are looking forward to next year as we opened up some new land and have some developments on the go and looking forward to the best and biggest crop ever.
