Vineyard Update: What have you done?

[TicinoVintner]

In between a sandwich of clouds. I love the mountains.
And the triple decker


Above the canopy on the east side with the giant maroni tree.



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[blumentopferde]

Thanks, but those trees dont affect the vineyard at all. The land (about 7 hectors) sits on a spine with a stream on both sides. (...) I would say less than 10% of the original vineyard is what we have left but I doubt we make it bigger as what we have is more than enough work. I will post more photos when I have time.

7 hectares, wow!
Now that would be enough for a full scale commercial winery!

Ever considered giving up your job and become a full-time wine grower?

Thanks for the pictures btw!

 

[TicinoVintner]

7 hectares, wow!
Now that would be enough for a full scale commercial winery!

Ever considered giving up your job and become a full-time wine grower?

Thanks for the pictures btw!

I have actually. However with a family it's too big of a gamble right now. Once I get what we have up to full production (ie healthy and harvesting +80%) I might reevaluate. My brother in law likes the forested land but I told him if we could charge +300chf per bottle he can kiss his forest goodbye,lol.


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[blumentopferde]

I have actually. However with a family it's too big of a gamble right now. Once I get what we have up to full production (ie healthy and harvesting +80%) I might reevaluate. My brother in law likes the forested land but I told him if we could charge +300chf per bottle he can kiss his forest goodbye,lol.


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it would be a huge investement. Tractor and machines for spraying, grubbing, cutting, chaffing, mowing, harvesting and all other working steps in a vineyard, as 7ha are far to big to be maintained by hand plus a fully equipped wine cellar...

I understand that you don't want to risk such an investment... But maybe it will develop slowly to commercial winery, even if you don't get 300 chf/bottle

 

[Crown_King_Robb]

Hoping someone here might know...

Several years ago we made a trip by auto taking the scenic route from Annecy back to Prague going thru Switzerland and Austria. When going thru Switzerland there was one region that had many of what appeared to be small hay barns ? on tall legs that we could see from the road. and the barn legs were like up to 2 meters high and in the middle to upper middle of the legs were a large flat stone that was balanced and sandwiched in the middle ?

What is the purpose of the stone and what is it called ? I should have taken a picture but never did.

 

[blumentopferde]

I don't know these buildings.

But I found some pictures:

If this is what you meant then it is a traditional granary from Wallis / Valais, the french speaking part of Switzerland.

I guess they were built on piles not to get covered in snow and/or to protect the harvest from rodents and other animals.

Also I can only guess why the stones are there.
Maybe they are only there to distribute the loads more evenly, maybe they should protect the building from moisture creeping up the piles...

 

[Crown_King_Robb]

Yes those appear similar. In the ones I noticed the most though the stone was about halfway to 2/3 up the post legs.


see if my ascii art comes thru here ....

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imagine the stone centered i guess

I was just impressed that they did not otherwise appear to be attached other than to be floating on top of the stones, and the buildings all appeared to have been in place quite a while. Good and stable.

Moisture and rodent protection make excellent sense.

Thank you!

 

[blumentopferde]

Yes those appear similar. In the ones I noticed the most though the stone was about halfway to 2/3 up the post legs.


see if my ascii art comes thru here ....

I I
I I
======
I I
I I
I I

imagine the stone centered i guess

I was just impressed that they did not otherwise appear to be attached other than to be floating on top of the stones, and the buildings all appeared to have been in place quite a while. Good and stable.

Moisture and rodent protection make excellent sense.

Thank you!

Now that looks really unstable!

Funny how these buildings defy wind, storm and statics

Maybe the stones are really just there for rodent protection. I could imagine that it would be hard for a rat to climb up a pile with such an obstruction!

 

[TicinoVintner]

It's kind of funny considering I am actually in Wallis at the moment, but in the German speaking part. As said before the stones are there to keep the rodents out. And yes they do defy logic as most of them are easily a couple centuries old.


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[TicinoVintner]

We got bud break! Pretty early this year.


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[blumentopferde]

same over here in Austria.

Some vines already budded, some even grew shoots already, many of them are still dormant though. At least I hope that they are dormant and not dead :-/ Winter was mild but summer was extremely hot and hit hard on the young vines last year....

 

[Crown_King_Robb]

Bud break in Crown King, AZ, USA too. 2 of my 5 variety.

I only noticed because I was working on the irrigation, checking drippers, else I wouldnt have thought to look. Gave them a good watering. Must be a month early here too ? I think Winter only lasted 3 weeks this year.

My fruit trees (apples, pears, crabapple) are putting on leaves as well. The last 2 weeks have been active. Spring has sprung.

 

[nucjd]

Transplanted about 15 chardonnay and Syrah vines from one hillside to another hillside that is producing healthier vines and better grapes. Grass has started growing and weeds around my vineyard therefore was pulling weeds and clearing grass.

 

[farmer]

Just finished pruning but still have a foot of snow in the vineyard.

 

[TicinoVintner]

The spring explosion is in full effect here. I plan on picking up my new vines to be planted this weekend. Forecast says its going to be like summer, maybe even a bit too warm for planting but we have to do it anyways. I hope these babies grow well next to the seasoned veterans. I'm. Freaking. Excited! I've been waiting three years for this weekend.
I invited six friends to help, just hope the night time festivities don't hinder my work performance. Lol
Of course it will, it always does but that never stops us.


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[TicinoVintner]

Deerunk as a skeeunk .


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[blumentopferde]

Cheers!
Hope your work performance was as good as your drinking performance!

 

[TicinoVintner]

Cheers!
Hope your work performance was as good as your drinking performance!

Yeah that was fun. Six hours of weedeating with a slight hangover. Now we're digging the holes for these babies, 60 merlot, 12 cabsav, 12 Chardonnay.


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[TicinoVintner]

Finally getting some much needed rain an normal temps. April was hot and dry, not good for new vines. Plus they are rebuilding the main water line and road meaning no water and no access with anything other than your own two feet. We have to carry water from a stream 150 meters away. All the other vineyards are complaining that this project wasn't started sooner. The original plan was to be done in winter and finish by the first of April however they didn't actually start until the first of April. Who knows how long it will take. Every week they say another four weeks. Fcking Brilliant!


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[TicinoVintner]

These pics were from a week ago, just now finding time to upload them.

Newly planted Chardonnay which had the longest roots so they were the first to sprout and have the most growth.


Spider on new Cab/Sauv


One of the old timers still producing (even had to thin a few clusters)


Fixing the terrace, the flat part is a blank row. I removed all the dead/sick vines and the trellis a few years ago in order to create more space and air flow thus reducing the disease pressure. So far it seems to work. Maybe one day I'll plant another row there or maybe not as the back ground is really nice.


The Grillmeister.



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