Chateau Michaelena Vineyard

[grapeman]

You have bloom!

 

[Wade E]

Looking good there Mike, if all goes good how much production do you expect from it all?

 

[ibglowin]

The Marquette is definitely a week or so ahead of the Noiret and Corot Noir. The buds on the Noiret and Corot Noir are much larger in size. Have a few bees buzzing around the vines as well.

Nice day today. Lots of Sun. No wind and perfect temps. Fired up the big ol Smoker Pit for the holiday. First time in years. Have a Pork loin (marinated in blackberry chipolte for 48hrs). A small center cut pork tenderloin as well for those who don't like the heat. 2 nice racks of Baby Backs with a nice rub. Cooking over a mixture of mesquite and pecan. Have some friends and family coming over for dinner this evening.

You have bloom!

 

[ibglowin]

I have about 32 vines. I should be able to get at least a gallon of finished wine out of each vine once they are all mature. Some look to be their now, others will take another year. They had a tough first Winter that set most of them back. Some more so than others, all are healthy and growing like crazy this Summer.

Looking good there Mike, if all goes good how much production do you expect from it all?

 

[vinividivici]

Looking good!
Bob

 

[ibglowin]

Frost Damage?

We got down to 35 on Monday morning for a short period of time. It took a few days but I am seeing what looks like a little damage from that cold snap. Not much really only on 2 vines. At least I hope that's what it is, it sure looks like a little leaf burn. I am not seeing any progression or any spread over the last couple of days. There are still plenty of clusters!

 

[Julie]

yes it does look like frost damage and glad to hear it is only on 2 vines.

 

[grapeman]

The nice thing about grapevines is they compensate for light freezes well. You won't even know it happened after a while.

 

[ibglowin]

Got Marquette!

The Marquette is a happy camper with the warm sunny weather we have been having the last few weeks. June is our hottest month traditionally until we get the monsoons in July and August. The Corot Noir and Noiret and doing well but waaaay behind the Marquette in development. Some pics taken this AM of the progress.

 

[Runningwolf]

Looking really good Mike.

 

[vinividivici]

Grape Envy!

Mike,

I hope to have similar clusters on mine next year (year 3). How old are yours? They look great.

Re Corot Noir, mine are coming out of the growth tubes, very vigorous growth. The Frontenac, OTOH, are about 8-12" high. Both planted this past
April.


Bob

 

[ibglowin]

This is their third leaf. The pic of the loaded Marquette vine had no clusters last year. This year it exploded so much that I may need to cluster thin there are so many clusters.

 

[grapeman]

Looks great Mike. My Marquette are in full bloom now, behind yours by a couple weeks but growing explosively.

 

[ibglowin]

The monsoons are here!

W0ot!!!!

Right on schedule (beginning of July). Started out as a nice 5 min shower that kept on for 10, 15 minutes then got really heavy and my heart started to pound as pea sized hail started to fall. It stayed light and little and never got any bigger or heavier. Rained for about 45 minutes straight. At least an inch. I could see the grass and garden greening up right before my eyes. We are looking good though the weekend as well! We have not had any measurable rain for 2 months so it is a welcome sight for sure!

 

[robie]

Monsoon has not started yet up in my area. Everyone is in high anticipation mode, though.

Isn't rain amazing; one can water all day and see only a slight green-up; it can rain for 10 minutes and everything greens up nicely.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Monsoon has not started yet up in my area. Everyone is in high anticipation mode, though.

Isn't rain amazing; one can water all day and see only a slight green-up; it can rain for 10 minutes and everything greens up nicely.

That's the truth too!!! I stopped watering my lawn years ago for that very reason.

Plus - here in MO - the hot humid summers we get - it actually strengthens the root system - it forces the roots to go deeper.

If you water all day - the roots go to the water - which is usually 2-3" deep.

 

[ibglowin]

This morning everything looks 10X greener. My dahlia's have been struggling through the heat the last month or so. This AM I swear they grew 6" overnight and the foliage is now DEEP green instead of a light green. I have not even fertilized them. I shut off the sprinkler and drip system. I think it cost me $7 a day to water!

 

[ibglowin]

Got grapes? I do!!!!!!

Things are looking good. Vines are loving the humidity for sure!

 

[Runningwolf]

Looking good Mike, happy to see you're finally getting some water.

 

[ibglowin]

Water helps for sure!