Sometimes “normal” is a good thing…

Indeed, after a wet winter and spring, our estate Margarita Vineyard is tracking beautifully heading into the 2017 harvest.

“We are cruising along at what you might call a normal pace, if you’re looking at it from a 10-year perspective,” says Director of Winemaking Mike Sinor. “When things were really dry in recent years, we were picking our early-ripening varieties starting in August. This year, our harvest will begin in September, which is how it typically was at Margarita Vineyard before the drought really kicked in.”

Mike notes that when there is more moisture in the soil come springtime, the soil becomes more insulated. This allows the ground to remain cooler, resulting in a later start to the growing season—which then carries all the way through to harvest.

“We prayed for rain, and Mother Nature delivered,” Mike says. “The yields and fruit quality all look good, and the weather has been relatively steady. If that continues, then we should be picking well into November.”

**Pictured above: Still-ripening Zinfandel clusters at Margarita Vineyard, late August 2017