Too much rain: Not yet anyway

With another bout of heavy showers moving through today, I sent out e-mails to several wineries asking how they're hanigng in there this spring. Jason Price, of Twin Brook Winery in Gap, Pa., mentioned in Monday's interview that the rain has been excessive this spring. Not destructive, mind you, but a bit more than growers would like to see. Anyway, here's what I heard back.

From Eric Miller, Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford, Pa.:

"I've just surveyed several vineyards I buy from and feel like the season is in order. There are signs of the late spring frost but only on a few leaves and zero crop damage. Mind you, all the vineyards are on hillsides.

"Things got an early start with some varieties pushing a week or so early but that has all evened out with the cool, dark, wet weather interdispersed with cool low humidity and sun. Typically unpredictable weather for this area (we do a lot of planning before the season begins but that's why we are also soooo reactive) . To make sure we are free of pests and mildew most of us have put at least one more spray on than typical for this time of year.

"With Memorial weekend's wonderful weather, things suddenly began to jump. Thus we are all busy removing suckers, thinning shoots from the crop zone, opening the canopy and managing growth under the trellis and in the alleys. I expect the projected heat next week to promote rapid growth and set us up for leaf pulling and maybe our first hedging of the season in some varieties (Merlot, Chard and Pinot Noir being likely candidates)

"For those who read your blog and are Chaddsford's "frequent buyers" (don't ask me how this occurs in a person's life; ask Lee; I'm just the winegrower) we are having a vineyard picnic on Saturday, June 14, where I'm going to take those interested on a walk thru our Pinot, Cab, Chard, Syrah and Barbera. My plan is to review a bit of last vintage, how we got to where we are this Spring and explain a bit about how things might go this 2008 vintage."

From George Kline, West Hanover Winery, Harrisburg, Pa.:

"Everything is very clean in the vineyard this spring. The only problem I am having this spring is a large amount of winter kill , because of the past three winters. up and down tempatures."

From Brad Knapp, Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown, Pa.:

The vineyard is exploding, which is normal behavior for this time of year. We started a ahead of schedule due to warm weather in early April but then slowed way down with cooler/wetter weather in May but are now catching back up as things warm up. This time of year is when the crop size is determined by the number of flower clusters that are on the vines coupled with the effectivness of bloom (usually early to mid June). The quality of the crop is largely determined later in the year (late August/September/October).