January

1. January It’s the start of a new year, and at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, this commences pruning season. Removing tired tattered vines takes the vineyard workers five to six weeks to complete. Eliminating old spurs (last years wood growth) encourages new growth and sets the foundation for the next harvest. Fruit grows on the shoots that are produced by one-year-old canes, so each year the previous season’s growth needs to be removed. The spurs are cut back to2 buds, which in turn will produce 2 shoots next season. Desirable fruit production is dependent on vine training and proper pruning. There is a delicate balance between vine growth and the amount of fruit a cane will produce.

2. February Rainy weather is very common during our California winters, and it is not uncommon to see large amounts of standing water throughout the vineyards. After a few sunny days, supersaturated soils begin to flourish with the first sightings of yellow mustard buds.

3. March A new season arrives, and with it comes warmer temperatures, longer days, and bud break! Tiny bumps appear below the surface of the shorn vines. Within days, those bumps burst with fuchsia crowned leaf buds. That’s not the only thing that is quick to grow… it’s time to remove the lush undergrowth of weeds and cover crops, which may compete for nutrients with our vines. Mowing, disking, and spraying herbicides to rid vineyards of unwanted foliage are common farming practices. At Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, we rely on 1500 sheep and 500 goats to shear the vineyard floor.

4. April During this prolific growth phase we focus on providing sustenance to the growing vegetation, which is vital to maintaining a healthy crop. In an effort to protect and fertilize our vineyards, a compost tea (a liquid solution made by steeping compost in water) is applied via drip irrigation. The tea contains molasses, fish emulsion, rock dust, microbes, and other nutrients.

5. May Edging toward summer, we see the onset of misty mornings. Our proximity to the Pacific Ocean produces some of the most variable microclimates throughout northern California. Cool fog blankets the vineyards each night and resides until the warmth of the sun burns the shroud, exposing the flowers of the embryonic grape clusters. Pollination will take place for the next two weeks and during this precarious time, the vines are susceptible to radical weather vacillations which include frost, rain and wind. We make no effort to elude mother nature’s wrath- no sprinklers, no wind machines.

6. June As fertilized flowers evolve into tiny green berries, the swelling orbs undertake a new stage of development called berry set. Berry maturation consists of two growth periods. The first consists of rapid cell division and increased solutes (misc. acids, tannins, minerals, amino acids, and micronutrients), which continues for approximately 60 days. The second phase is called veraison and is characterized by softening and coloring of the grape. Beginning at veraison, sugar influx into the berry commences. The concentration of sugars is dictated partially by the length of time the grape is allowed to stay on the vine.

7. July The berries are in full veraison from now until late August/early September. As the grapes mature they become stunningly variegated. Harvest, which generally occurs a little over a month after the color change begins, is growing near. The summer heat promotes the ripening process, allowing the brix, or concentration of sugar within a block of berries, to increase daily. Each degree brix is equivalent to one gram of sugar per 100 grams of grape juice. Ideally, table wines are harvested between 20 and 25 degrees brix, of which 55-60% of the sugar is turned into alcohol.

8. August It’s nearly Labor Day, and it’s time to labor! Harvest has arrived, and all hands are on deck. Freshly handpicked Pinot Noir grapes came to the crush pad, glistening with sweet sticky nectar. The berries were released into a steel hopper where they idly waited de-stemming. Once separated from their clusters, the grapes are dispatched into a 20 ton press. This harvest looks to be flavor packed.

9. September With the crush pad on overdrive, our thoughts go from fruit to juice. Depending on the color of the grape, the pressing process takes one of two turns. In red grapes, the juice, seeds and skins (the must) are pumped directly into a tank for fermentation. The red color and tannins that give red wine its ability to age and “bite”, come from the skins. The must is removed seven days later, re-pressed then composted. White wines do not keep their must during fermentation. In both cases, yeast is added to begin the process of converting sugar to alcohol.

10. From bare stalks to buds, to newly sprouted crimson leaflets, to full lush canopies full of mouth watering fruit, we end the lifecycle of a grape with the exuberant colors of a grand finale. Our sangiovese, merlot, and barbera grapes concluded this season’s harvest. While the grapes undergo the fermentation process, the vines begin their winter rest. Dormancy begins with leaf fall, when the average daily temperature reaches about 50 degrees, and the cycle resumes next spring at bud break. October

11. The late November fog blankets the vineyard in cool comfort. Our typical California winter weather pattern will bring the three “Fs”…Fog, Frost, and during heavy rain periods Flooding. Our proximity to the coast moderates seasonal temperature extremes, with an average early morning temperature range of 35-40 degrees; and a mid-day temperature range of 55-65 degrees. November

12. It’s difficult to envision the once lush summer canopy of green, now that it’s December and all that remains is an eerie scaffolding. The vines’ innate compulsion to propagate has been suspended by the alternative need to survive during extreme weather conditions. Our cover crop, on the other hand, will flourish over the next few weeks, reveling in the soppy cool soil. Next month will be devoted to clearing the vineyard of old growth in preparation for the new. December