RANCH UPDATES | September 2021
โWine connects man and nature and time in a way nothing else does.โ
Vintage 2021
A watched pot never boils. And it turns out a vineyard is much the same! While the rest of the country was focused on bidding summer adieu, weโve had one ear to the ground and our eyes on the prize - the grapes, of course. The stretching weeks between summer and autumn were accompanied by the sweat off our brows (thanks to record breaking heat), and a harvest team eagerly awaiting the bounty theyโve sought all year.
The Waiting Game
Grape vines have an orderly and predictable growing cycle, and we watch for certain growth markers closely throughout the season. If there are any delays in the growing season, it can nudge harvest further into fall which means an increased likelihood of foul weather. We began with what seemed like an abnormally long Lag Phase (Lag Phase refers to the period when the grape berries pause growing and seed embryos form) which had us on pins and needles. Then, a mid-August heat spike set verasion back by just a hair - not much, but enough to induce some nail-biting. Verasion is that magical time in the vineyards when the grape clusters start to develop their true colors, soften, and accumulate sugars. In other words, they start to taste delicious! But weโre not the only ones who think so. Starlings, Robins, and Finches are just a few varieties of birds that can wreak havoc on a vineyard. Luckily our falconer, Mateo Brunozzi, showed up just in time to scare off any curious flocks. By August 18th, we were halfway through verasion and had our sights set on the first pick of the season.
And just like thatโฆ
On August 26th, we poured our coffee a few hours earlier than normal and started out for the vineyard. It was overcast from dawn to dusk, we couldnโt have asked for more idyllic conditions. Getting up before the sun to feel the perfectly ripened clusters in our palms is the single best high there is! And did we mention the incredible home-cooked meals from our very own Fidelfa? Chile Rellenos and a siesta were all we needed to get back to it. As we dig our hands into cluster after cluster of gorgeous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, we are greatly humbled to partake in this great adventure called winemaking.
Harvest Playlist
With only two days left in the busiest season of our year, one welcomes any and all distraction from laborious tasks and lack of sleep. Take a listen to this collection of upbeat jams from our very own harvest crew! The louder your volume, the more you can envision being out in the vineyard.
Ruthieโs First Litter
In the early days of harvest, we welcomed nine healthy piglets to the farm! Not a single runt can be found amongst the litter, they are all healthy and have quite the appetite, as you can see in this video. Youโll need to turn your volume up, donโt want to miss those heart-melting snorts and grunts!
Letโs Drink to That!
What are you pouring lately? Use #soterslowdown and tag @soterwines in your social media posts all season to share your tasting notes, cozy sweater recommendations, and more!
