Winter- The beginning of the annual cycle: dormancy

The Vineyard: The yearly cycle begins in the depth of winter; it is the depth of dormancy, the plants energy has moved to the roots to wait for spring. One of our favorite tasks is the winter pruning of vines, where we remove 95% of the previous year’s growth. Here the trained eye of the winegrower selects the wood that will not only give the fruit for the coming year, but the shape of the vine for years to come. It is a welcome break to cabin fever to be out in the crisp winter days, cutting and shaping each vine, one at a time. There is a slow meditative pace to winter; all preparations are complete by April for the coming flush of growth.

Winemaking: In winter wine resembles the vines from which it came: it too is dormant, quietly clarifying, pulling to the bottom the yeast and sediment from the fall winemaking. Slow crystallization of the excess acidity occurs in the chill of winter, a process that softens wine for its future consumption. We move our two year old red wines from the oak barrels and put our new red wines in barrels for the coming two years of sleep that it takes to mellow our reds. On rainy or stormy days we withdraw to the cellar for blending our reds, tasting the young whites and making the preparations for bottling.

winery@lopezislandvineyards.com

phone: 360-468-3644