The 2011 harvest is complete.  Our Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and Zinfandel are resting in their new barrels.

What a year! A late frost in April took much of the spring set of fruit from our Syrah and, two weeks later, three days of gusty winds battered our Cabernet vines. We lost about half of our Syrah to the frost and about two-thirds of the Cabernet crop to “shatter.” Shatter is often due to extreme weather which causes the tiny flowers to drop from the cluster, never to become berries. (See The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition, page 291, under “fruit set.”)

While Mother Nature negatively affected the Syrah and Cabernet production, our Zinfandel production was up about 30%. Go figure!

However, as is often the case with Mother Nature, she doesn’t always just take away — our fruit’s quality is excellent this year. We’ll keep you posted as it is on its way to the bottle, which we project to be April 2013.

And did we have some fun along the way to barreling! On October 19th, we hosted our First Annual Lucy Stomp. It was a big hit. Anita does look like Lucy, red hair and all!

Jay

Vince and Lido

Leahandah & Best Pal

As usual, our friends Jay, Lynn and Jim came to lend a hand. Leahandah, ever helpful, was back, too, this year and brought her friend Laura and our new guard dog, Lido. Even our dentist, Kathryn, helped out.

Dr. Kathryn

After picking the real fun began. Cousin Sheila and husband Tom starred in stomp and bailing. Memories of Lucy were recalled. Some even dressed the part.

Cousin Sheila & Anita

Next year we will host the Second Annual Lucy Stomp on a Saturday, probably October 27th or November 3rd. We hope many more of you can have a “foots in” (think “hands on”) experience. We follow with a delightful champagne celebration and lunch. And pedicures to remove the purple coloring from our toes, feet and ankles. (not)

We are thankful for our excellent harvest and have an ever growing respect for farmers everywhere.

Anita and I wish you and your families a bountiful and peaceful holiday season.

Salute La Famiglia,Anita & Joseph