![Grapes at Suhru & Lieb Vineyards]()
September marks the beginning of Harvest on the North Fork! Over the coming weeks and months all fo the crops across the East End will be harvested, including our grapes! Our Harvest is still a few weeks off with the harvesting of our sparkling wine expected to start mid September but with Harvest just on the horizon, winemaker Russell Hearn took some time to give us an update on what is happening in the Vineyard and in the Winery as him and the team prepare for the busy months ahead!
What’s Happening in the Vineyard
After a cool spring which initiated slow shoot growth, June and July were at or above normal temperatures. This summer presented it’s challenges for growth in the vineyard. July was a taxing month with above normal temperatures and high humidity. While the heat in July makes for a nice beach day, in the vineyard is it less desirable as the extra humidity and stagnant air, creates fungal disease pressure.
Through diligent scouting in the vineyard we established a pro-active spray schedule to combat this added disease pressure. In addition, we spent many more hours hand leaf removing leaves in the fruiting zone to allow better light, wind, and spray penetration. If you look at our vineyards you will notice minimal leaves in the fruiting zone, these were removed by hand to increase air flow and ensure that minimal amounts of humidity remained close to the fruit clusters, where it can do the most damage. This added leaf pulling was at a large labor cost but provides the highest quality results.
August has been a beautiful weather month with warm temperatures and much lower humidity. We have had a couple heavy rain events, but feel very confident in our vineyard and fruit health as we move into September and our harvesting months. Veraison in the white varieties in now completed and by month’s end all the red varieties should also have completed. Veraison is the beginning of the ripening process for grapes. It’s a crucial stage in the life cycle and marks the transition from the growth phase to the ripening phase.
Looking ahead, typically we will see our grapes for Sparkling—which are purposely picked earlier than their counterparts to retain higher acidity in the grape—picking starts around 14-18th of September, so we are getting close. Now we wait and see what ‘Mother Nature’ gives us in the coming weeks!
What’s Happening at the Winery
In the winery the team is busy readying the Harvest equipment, ensuring that everything is squeaky clean, sanitized and ready to receive the grapes that will be harvested in the coming months! in plenty of time.
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