And We're Off to the Races

Well, we’re about two weeks out from bud break, and the vines have not failed to grow as aggressively as we’ve come to expect. These photos were taken in the Rody Vineyard (which is planted in early Muscat and Muller-Thurgau vines), a subset of the larger Home Ranch. We expect to see the early Muscat to bloom, well, earlier than our other varieties, and this year has proven no different. When the canopy is fully-grown Muscat’s leaves have a trademark ruddy orange-green color, which is already in-evidence and augurs the golden-yellow color of their grapes. Our other vineyards aren’t quite this far along, but roughly-speaking this is fairly representative of where our other vineyards at in their life cycle. With the commencement of full and aggressive growth of our vines, the 2019 season can be said to be underway. So, here we go again.

Bud Break is Here

We’re just a few days short of bud break now! Pruning and tying down is all done, and presently we’re working on maintenance—replacing posts, dropping wires ahead of the vine’s growth, etc.—and waiting for the vines to start going. The first sign of that is bud break, a term which is extremely apt, insofar as the buds actually seem to burst open and unfurl their leaves. Its a startlingly transformation to witness firsthand: the vines go from seemingly dead sticks to very clearly alive and thriving. Once the vines hit that point they can absorb sunlight again and begin growing extremely quickly.

Elsewhere, in our newest vineyards, bud break has already finished and growth has begun. By-and-large, this difference can be attributed to our employment of growth tubes in the young vineyards. There is a good reason for the use of these growth tubes: one, they allow us to apply herbicides to knock back other plants which would interfere with the growth of the young vines; two, they accelerate the growth of the young vines by keeping them slightly warmer than the air outside. While its just a few degrees warmer, that little extra kick is enough to give the newbies a major edge on the older vineyards.

A Winter Wonderland in the Vineyards

We’ve recently got some snow over here on the east side of the Valley, and it has made for some wonderful photo ops out in the vineyards. While cold weather can certainly damage vines, grapes are essentially dormant in the winter, and in order to negatively impact vines when they’re in such a state temperatures have to get down to 5° F. (At least when it comes to European varieties; some American varieties are incredibly hardy by comparison, able to survive temperatures down to -30° F.) In the Willamette Valley such temperatures are very rare; on-average, low temperatures around here go no lower than 34° F (in December), as compared to the average low of Sunnyside, Washington (the center of a massive wine growing region in eastern Washington), which clocks in 24° F (also in December).

This lower average means the possibility of an extreme weather event hurting the vines is more likely, but a factor to keep in mind is that snow, somewhat paradoxically, is actually a boon to vines in times of cold weather: a layer of snow can insulate the ground enough to protect the roots, so while the woody trunk might see some damage, the entire plant won’t die. Even so, every seven years or so eastern Washington sees temperatures low enough to kill plants to the ground. However, Washington benefits, in some ways, from cold temperatures: pests usually overwinter in the trunk, finding a cozy spot to nestle into and ride out the cold, but the temperatures get so low in eastern Washington that pests are almost always entirely wiped out. Here in Oregon, our relative balmy temperatures are more survivable, so while we never really have to worry about a brutally cold winter, pests can survive and make a comeback more easily. As with everything involving wine grapes, there are variables upon variables to consider.

In truth, while snow might inspire worries of cold damage, an experienced grape grower knows that by far the worst time of year for cold damage, at least here in Oregon, is actually late summer and early spring, when new buds are beginning to form and the possibility of an unexpected frost could mean a vine loses some or all of its ability to produce fruit. However, we usually dodge that bullet as well: in the Cascade foothills average temperatures in those months are 39° and 42° F. It has been many, many years since we’ve seen any damage from unfortunately-timed freezes. So, feel free to enjoy these pictures of a snow-cloaked vineyard, and rest-assured that our vines are a-okay.

Honoring Dan Kraemer

Those of you who know the Kraemer family might be aware that Dan Kraemer, the co-founder of Kraemer Farms’ wine grape program, passed away a year ago today. Dan was a beloved figure in our family, on our farm, in our community and in the wider wine industry. Much has been said about Dan in the days and months since his passing—the sheer number of lives he touched, the warmth of his personality, the extend of his brilliance and scope of his ambition always made him stand out. The vineyards discussed in this blog and elsewhere on this website were one of his life’s many works, and so it is absolutely vital to take a moment to recognize the one-year anniversary of his sudden and tragic passing. Below are the words of Dan’s middle son, Alex, which he wrote on the first anniversary of his death.

“A year ago today we lost my father, Dan Kraemer. This last year has been among the most difficult and challenging of my life, but I know Dad wouldn’t want me, or any of us mourning his passing, to wallow in rage or bitterness or unbridled sadness. Dad would want us to carry on, to continue to believe in goodness and fairness, and if we found either in short-supply to find it in ourselves and to share with our loved ones. Dad didn’t believe in giving up, on one’s own self, on your dreams, or on others.

He was always a source of succor and support, he always looked to help and to guide, and he never held a grudge. He loved and he forgave. He expected everyone to live up to their potential, for Dad could always see the great potential in most all of us, and he know how to bring it out.

Dad was a truly amazing man, and losing him has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to endure—a sentiment which I know goes for others as well. We’ve all had to deal with his absence, and while he’ll never be replaced, Dad was kind and giving to the point that he gave parts of himself to all of us. This means that we have only to look to one another to find Dad. He built a family that extended well-past his own blood, a network of people bearing the mark of his kindness and generosity, and people who benefited from his guidance and love. We’re all inheritors of Dad’s legacy, and so we must simply look to one another for the support and love he otherwise would have provided.

Dad isn’t gone—his spirit resides in all of us who knew and loved him. I’ll never stop missing him, and I’ll always feel aggrieved at his loss. But I know that if I wake up every day with the intent to embody the values he taught to me, and seek to pass those values onto others in his stead, then I’ll ensure that the spirit of Daniel Anthony Kraemer shall never pass from this Earth. I can think of no better way to honor him and his legacy.”

The End is Nigh

The end of harvest 2018 is right around the corner—these bins are filled with some of the last grapes we’ll ship this year. We’re mostly down to the Riesling now, and a few other picks here and there. We’re close enough to being done that it doesn’t feel like tempting fate to say: this has been a very successive harvest. The weather has been perfect: warm and dry, with plenty of time for the grapes to ripen as much as necessary—it seems very likely that the 2018 vintage will be of very high quality indeed. The lack of inclement weather also meant that we had a far more sedate harvest season this year than in previous; instead of dodging rain showers and waiting for water to come off the canopy after rain, we could harvest consistently, and we didn’t have to hurriedly harvest ahead of a rainy forecast.

The end of harvest is always a strange time: we work for nearly a whole year to produce the highest quality wine grapes we can, and all that effort culminates in a hectic month or two of even greater effort. Once that effort is finished we can relax and take pride in what we’ve accomplished, but at the same time it can also leave one feeling a little empty. Busy hands are happy hands, and by that measure our hands have been quite happy the past few months. Of course, the work is never really finished: once the last of the leaves have come off we’ll begin pruning, and then we’ll begin tying down, and before we know it harvest 2019 will begin. But for now, we can savor the last of this strangely enjoyable labor, and then rest.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Automation

The above video depicts one of our two Gregoir harvesters, a wonderful piece of machinery which has revolutionized our harvest operations. The basic system is straightforward: the harvester shakes the canopy and knocks loose grapes; the grapes and juice are all caught and brought upwards by a conveyor system; and the whole lot is sent down up a boom arm and into a gondola, pulled by a tractor running parallel to the harvester. Once the gondola is full the operator pulls away and heads for the landing, where the grapes are dumped into previously arranged grape bins, while simultaneously a second tractor and gondola pulls into position below the boom arm. The video below depicts the landing and the moments before the Gregoirs begin harvesting.

It is a tightly choreographed dance of machinery which allows us to harvest continuously for hours and hours, however long is needed to make the scheduled deliveries for the day. Previously harvest operations were limited by the number of people we could get together for a pick, which could result in delayed deliveries and weather delays; now we can pick whenever we need to, allowing us to dodge rainfall and pick when it is best for the fruit and for our customers. While some of our customers were initially unsure about machine-picked fruit, all have come around to the idea, after noting no drop in quality and appreciating the convenience offered by the harvesters.

The Harvest Continues

Harvest continues in the vineyard. At this point we’re all getting a little worn out, but there’s still a lot of work to go until we can rest. Presently, we’re getting ready for a hand-pick in one of our Pinot Noir blocks. These preparations include logistics (gathering bins, and tractors and trailers to convey them through the vineyard) and actually getting the vines themselves ready. In this case, we’ve pulled the leaves before the picking crew begin operations in order to increase the ease and efficiency of the pick.

This might seem like a small thing, but anyone who has worked harvest in a vineyard before will appreciate the rationale here: when picking acre upon acre of grapes, not being required to clear a path to the fruit through the canopy demonstrably increases the speed with which fruit can be harvested. The difference of even a few minutes can make a huge difference in a large-scale pick. Furthermore, it makes the process easier for our employees and, considering this work can be fairly grueling, anything we can do to make their work easier is something we’re going to do. Finally, at this point the grapes, particularly reds like Pinot Noir, are dense with sugar, and consequently susceptible to infection by various fungi. By clearing out the canopy we improve air flow and make it more difficult for the canopy to hold onto the sort of warm, dense air in which fungus tends to thrive in.

This is actually a fairly good microcosm of the larger enterprise of growing wine grapes: one action with many possible effects and with several different objectives. The sheer number of variables involved in growing wine grapes is dizzying, but they also make wine grapes such a fascinating crop to raise.

The 2018 Harvest Begins!

Well, its finally here, folks: the end of the preparation and ministration which marks the pre-harvest year, and the beginning of the long, hectic days which define the harvest. While this marks the official beginning of the harvest, it will be a while before things really get underway—these grapes were picked specifically for a sparkling wine program one of our customers is running, and therefore don’t require the high-levels of sugars that other wines do. We’ll still be waiting a little bit for sugar levels to get high enough for the main harvest to really get underway.

As mentioned previously, this was a hand-pick operation, which is a slower and much more physically-involved means of harvesting grapes, as compared to machine-picking. Despite this, the harvest proceeded quickly and smoothly, a fact which is owed almost entirely to our fantastic hand-picking crews. For most of the year they’re the people out in the vineyards pruning, tying down and otherwise doing what we can’t do with machines. Our foreman, Celistino, has built a truly impressive team over the years, and they practically work miracles out in the vineyards before, during and after harvest.

...and Now its Done

Well, veraison is well on its way to completion. Our grapes have been mighty busy these past few weeks, putting on a lot of sugar and a lot of color. We’re probably no more than two weeks away from starting our hand-pick harvest of certain varieties, and as I type this we’re busy taking samples of all our vineyards in order to keep an eye on sugar levels.

As discussed in the previous post, the grapes put on color and sugar in order to attract birds and other animals which might eat and transport their seeds, and the critters are busy attempting to do just that. Bird damage is a constant problem for vineyards, particularly when it comes to the invasive European starling, which forms flocks sometimes thousands strong, and if left unopposed can wipe out an entire vineyard block. (In one memorable instance, a small black bear found one of our vineyards and set about gorging itself—but thankfully that sort of scenario is vanishingly rare.) But they’re not going to be left unopposed: in addition to nigh-constant sampling, we have teams roving the vineyards firing off small devices we colloquially refer to as “screamers,” and we’ve set up scarecrows and propane “cannons” (which actually do nothing more that produce a concussive “BOOM!” every few minutes).

The final countdown to harvest has begun—now its just a matter of waiting for the right amount of sugar to accumulate in the grapes, and then we’re off to the races.

Veraison has Begun...

The wait for veraison was a little under three weeks, but we got there! With veraison beginning we’ve entered the final phase of grape growth out in the vineyards. While all we can see is a gradual change in the color of the grapes, what’s going on inside of them is really a flurry of activity.

Prior to veraison the grapes accumulate acids and tannins (the sorts of things we find rather tasty in wine) and remain green in order to dissuade birds and other animals from eating the grapes before the seeds are ready for dispersal. Veraison is the point at which the vine says “Alrighty, time to get these seeds out of here,” and begins to metabolize the acids and build-up sugars, as well as change color, in order to encourage the consumption of the berries and facilitate seed dispersal. So what we see as the onset of ripening is actually the vine’s attempt to begin reproduction.

It is at this point in the life cycle of grapes that all the tiny variables of climate and weather really begin to make their impact felt. For instance, in warmer climates and in warmer years, mallic acid content is typically lower, while in cooler climates and years mallic acid content is usually higher. The specifics are far, far too complicated to go into here, but ultimately this when the character of the wine grape really begins to take shape. In other words: this is the end of the beginning of the 2018 season.

Hurry Up and Wait

Well, the heaviest lifting (literal and figurative) of the pre-harvest season is all but finished. The wires have been lifted and leaves have been pulled where needed, and it looks like the grapes have entered their lag phase. The term “lag phase” refers to a period in the growth of wine grapes between the cessation of cell division (which is the method of growth utilized by grapes after fruit set has completed) and the onset of veraison. During lag phase the grapes continue to grow, but via cell enlargement, rather than via division.

What this means for us on a practical level is that we have to wait for the next visible sign of growth in the grapes, which is veraison, when the grapes begin to take on the colors of fully-ripened fruit. This doesn’t mean we’re taking a break, though! There’s still plenty of work to be done, especially in our baby vineyards.

Putting New Implements to the Test

We’ve been putting our newest addition to our mechanization program to the test lately, and thus far we are very pleased with it. This is a mechanized wire lifter—a nifty little innovation which is likely to both cut costs and ensure that we can get everything done that we have to, which can be a challenge at times, for a vineyard operation of our size.

The basic operation is pretty simple: the lifted-wire-to-be is placed into a notch on the implement, elevating the wire to the necessary position, and then a clip is placed on either side of the post to secure the wire in place. A skilled operator can place the clip precisely where it is needed, ensuring the wire won’t budge for the rest of the season. All-in-all, it is an elegant solution to a difficult problem, and another small wonder of mechanical innovation which is gradually revolutionizing our operation. As always, Kraemer Farms is looking any and all new ways to streamline our operations.

Sampling the 2017 Vintage

On Sunday, several members of the Kraemer Farms Vineyard Management crew were lucky enough to sample wine made from Kraemer grapes, and without exception they were superb. The east side of the Willamette Valley produces some of the finest white wine around, and last year continued the long-running trend of delectable Pinot Gris vintages from east-side vineyards. Chardonnay from the Cascade foothills has also proven of reliably high quality, and as of this writing we are in the process of planting a few additional acres of Muscat and Sauvingnon Blanc. While the latter is largely produced in New Zealand, South Africa and Chile today, for years now Kraemer Farms has turned out a small quantity of high quality Sauvi, which has been used to make truly impressive wines. It is a commonly-held opinion here that Sauvingnon Blanc is an up-and-coming variety in Oregon, and before long the Willamette Valley will be recognized as the superior source for premium Sauvi. We are also experimenting with Albarino, a variety endemic to the northwestern Iberia Peninsula; while no appreciable plantings are yet on the horizon, it is another variety to keep your eye on. 

So keep your eyes peeled: wine from the 2017 vintage are here, and they will make for a perfect compliment to enjoying a long early summer dusk. And the next time your perusing the wine aisle, skip the cheap chemistry wine or the white blends of unknown provenance, and go for something local and delicious, like a crisp, refreshing Oregon Pinot Gris, or a soft, non-buttery Oregon Chardonnay.

In Bloom

After bud break, the next step in the growth of wine grapes is bloom, and its begun in many of our vineyards. Grapes are hermaphroditic—they possess both male stamens and female ovaries—and so don’t need assistance in fertilization from honey bees or other such fertilizer animals. Instead, the grape self-fertilizes. This is a crucial time for the vines: an unexpected frost or hail storm can severely damage the nascent berries, potentially costing the grower thousands of dollars in damages. This is also our first glimpse into what the 2018 harvest will have in store: within two weeks of full bloom we expect to see fruit set, and from there we can begin cluster counts and start getting good estimates of likely yields. So we’re a little antsy at the moment, but so far everything is looking quite good out there.

Breaking Ground on New Vineyards

We've been going on something of a planting spree this spring! Just this morning we began expanding the Willig Vineyard of the Home Ranch, and a few weeks ago we completed the planting of the Marion Vineyard in our Cascade Ranch. With these plantings we're focusing on slightly bumping up our acres of Early Muscat, and planting three acres of Sauvingnon Blanc as a test bed for how best to grow that delectable variety, while increasing our already existing acreage of Pinot Gris and, Oregon's flagship variety, Pinot Noir. Wish our newest additions luck! They have a long, warm summer of growing to look forward to. 

Bud Break!

The Early Muscat is leading the pack, per the usual. 

And so it begins! A little over a week into April we're just starting to see the first evidence of bud-break out in the vineyards. Characteristically our Early Muscat seems to be leading the pack, but at the rate the vines are weeping on warm days, it seems that all the vines are waking up in earnest at the moment. 

We are currently nearing the end of the beginning of our preparation for the 2018 harvest: the vineyards have been pruned, the brush has been pulled, and the training is well underway. Which is altogether good news, as it seems that we might be roughly a week ahead of schedule. (Fingers crossed, and don't quote me on that!) 

If the forecast holds up (fingers still crossed) it looks like by this time next week we'll be seeing mid-60s and partly cloudy weather, which will hopefully be here to stay. All things considered, we're off to a strong start in regards to both weather and vineyard operations. (I've already crossed all available fingers, so I'll just knock on wood now.)

Cheers,

The Kraemer Farms Vineyard Management Crew