2020 Recap/Vineyard Development/Upcoming Projects
Winter can often be the sleepiest time of year at a vineyard. In the winter, the vines drop all of their leaves and go dormant, meaning that our next big push of vineyard work comes with the start of pruning after the bulk of our winter rains are behind us. In a normal year, winter is the deep exhale as the craziness of harvest grinds to a halt. There’s still work to be done on wines and maintenance on pretty much every piece of equipment, but winter is always a time for reflecting on the past season.
While we didn’t have a harvest this year, we still have plenty to reflect on. Years of searching and due diligence culminated with our purchase of and subsequent move to the new Tira Nanza Ranch in July. In the interim, we have seen the growth of a banner crop, the destructive damage of a wildfire and the resilience of our Cachagua and Carmel Valley communities. Seeing the fire burn so much of our ranch and the communities around us was definitely a devastating way to start out, but it cannot even begin to overshadow all the positive experiences we had on the ranch this year. We have been floored by the support all of you have given to us and the local community through your purchasing of Tira Nanza gear. Perhaps the most inspiring part of this year has been seeing the ranch recover from the fire. It has been amazing to watch burnt trees sprout new green growth and see the native grasses come back to life. It is a constant reminder to look forward with hope.
Here on the ranch, this winter is anything but sleepy. In addition to replacing burnt fencing and irrigation, we have spent the last few months working on a plan for our first new vineyard development. In preparing these fields, we have been digging soil pits, ripping the vineyard with a gigantic tractor and planting a cover crop. Developing new vineyards is a process that is simultaneously incredibly exciting and at least a little bit nerve-racking. We are enthralled by the potential of these new fields and the wines that they will one day yield, but every decision is crucial when planning out a planting that will hopefully be a lifelong part of our ranch. Throughout the process our focus has been on gathering as much data as possible and making decisions in a way to ensure the longevity of the vines and quality of the wines they will produce. The first, and most important, step in vineyard development is always trying to match the right varietal with the right site. From that standpoint, our vineyards currently produce quality fruit from both Bordeaux as well as Rhone varietals and these two new fields are prime for both.
Aside from vineyard development, our other focus for this winter is improving both the infrastructure and the viticultural practices in our current vineyards. From an infrastructure standpoint, that means improving our trellising to optimize the vine canopy during the growing season. This work will make for more consistent ripening and all together better fruit and wine. We are also looking to incorporate more and more organic and biodynamic practices to continue to improve both our vines and our soil.
It seems like everyone is looking forward to 2021 with hope that it will be a kinder, gentler year than 2020 and we are no exception. We head into 2021 with big plans and aspirations for the future of our ranch and vineyards. Above all else, our hope is for a good vintage and that we are able to harvest and make our first Tira Nanza wines. We also look forward to planting a large fruit and vegetable garden to grow organic produce. And, on top of that, we hope to add more livestock in 2021, including sheep to help with our vineyard weeding, and cows and goats to graze the hillsides. Every year has its ups and downs and every growing season brings new opportunities and challenges, but we are thrilled to have this opportunity and so grateful to be able to share it with all of you.
Cheers to the New Year!
-Greg & Sydney