Tzabaco Rancho Vineyards

-----------------
VINEYARDS
-----------------
Our Varietals
Vineyard History
Vineyard Diary

----------------
WINERIES
----------------
Viticulture
Vineyard Maps
Client Comments

----------------
HOME WINEMAKERS
----------------
Services We Offer
Purchase Grapes
Harvest Visits
Enology Facts

----------------
TRV
----------------
About Us
Family History
Family Reunion
Contact Us

RETURN TO HOME

Vineyard Diary

May 2006

The vineyards are beautifully bright green and vibrantly alive. The vines are putting all of their energy into unfolding new leaves in anticipation of bloom. We are continuously in the vineyard assessing the new growth and our workers are currently grooming the vines. They remove suckers from the base of the vine to push all the energy into the cordon leaf structure as well as thinning the number of shoots along the cordon to allow for the best spacing of potential clusters of grapes along the cordon. Shoot thinning also allow clusters better sun exposure as well as a better microclimate with enhanced air flow.

End of May 2006

Due to the delay in bud break in the Zinfandel and Merlot, because of lower sunlight levels and lower temperatures early Spring, we are only now seeing the beginning of bloom in those varieties. Because Cabernet has a normally later budbreak, early Spring weather was less of a factor slowing budbreak and growth, and we are seeing complete bloom in those blocks. Another interesting year!

June 2006

We are working furiously to replant the last 15 acres of vineyard in our ranch about 1/2 mile from our house. We decided to plant the Meritage blending varietals, Malbec and Petite verdot, along with an incursion into the white grape zone with 3 clones of Sauvignon blanc and 2 clones of Viognier!

July 2006

The weather up to now has been great with warm days and cool to cold nights. We have begun our monitoring of the vineyard water status with our pressure bomb and are irrigating using the pre-veraison deficit model. Eto (evapotranspiration) is available through the CIMIS system and gives us a framework to perform our calculations. We then supply our own specific vineyard variables to come up with numbers that are evaluated with our pressure bomb results. Our outside vineyard pest monitor continues his weekly rounds - everything looks good!