Harvest Coming to a Close

With harvest coming to a close, Freddy and his crew are finishing up the Norton harvest. While the end is near, the crew cannot relax yet. As we progress through fall, the leaves will begin to change colors and defoliate from the vine. Cold temperatures at night will also freeze the leaves causing them to fall off. Once the leaves start to fall on unpicked vines, the fruit is easier to spot.

This is concerning to us because the wildlife, which are foraging for winter food stores, will begin to take advantage of the vulnerable and exposed grapes. Birds, deer, and the occasional bear can clear out whole blocks of Norton in a matter of days. Luckily, Freddy has already taken steps to mitigate the damage. The vineyard crew places temporary netting around the blocks to help deter deer and bears from entering them, and to deter birds, we put out speakers that emit a noise that sounds like a bird in distress.

Our vineyard crew has worked extremely hard this season to ensure the best possible fruit is brought to the winery. We can’t thank them enough for their hard work, and the care that they have put into the vineyard this growing season. We are truly lucky to have such a stellar vineyard crew!