Weather  
Today

Another stinking day in Paradise!

The weather has held out exceptionally, with bright, clear, sunny warm skies. Highs in mid 70s last two days. Forecast still brings us significant rain Monday on, with a break mid-week. The amounts are moderated a bit now, so could be between a real event and a fake event.

At our weather station at Stoller Vineyards, since May 2000 (over 4 months) there has been a paltry 2.96 inches of rain.

High temperatures June-September are 77.3, 79.9, 80.5, 74.7 and so far this month 66.4.

Harvest  2000  October 7, 2000

Seventeen Hour Days.

Unloading Fruit at the Winery

Everything ripe and nearly ripe is coming off this weekend from Corral Creek and Stoller Vineyards, as well as the ripest block from Ridgecrest, the Babies Block.

So far, we have brought in all Chehalem Stoller Pinot noir xcept a Dijon clone 115 block, which comes in tomorrow--part destined for Bethel Heights and Rex Hill wineries as part of an ongoing collaboration in which we share and make wines from each others' fruit, giving a chance to see how other treatments affect the character of the fruit and determining how persistent specific vineyard terroir characters might be.

Pinot Gris Going into the Press

All Stoller Pinot gris and Pinot blanc are picked, with some Dijon chardonnay coming in today and Sunday. All Corral Creek Pinot noir is off as of today, having picked our last block yesterday and sending the remainder to other wineries; Pinot gris, Chardonnay and Riesling remain.

Two days ago Brodsky had his 4th birthday. We stopped for a beer late in the evening, sang "Happy Birthday" to him, and presented him with stuffed dead duck (flat and yellow).

Michelle Urging a bit more Fruit into our Small Press

Ina leaves tomorrow, after a quick trip to the coast today. She came to vacation with us and work harvest from her job in the offices of a great distributor of ours in New Jersey/Philadelphia/Delaware, Sussex. A big help Ina! Thanks!

We bring in 30 tons of Pinot noir from the Babies at Ridgecrest today and tomorrow (actually the vines are in their 13th leaf this year, but babies nonetheless). Dijon Chardonnay too. Busy day, days, weeks....

Harry