cautious colossus continuum
Five days into June, and because of the abnormally-wet May, the weather has been a vintner’s dream.
For the first time I’m watching vines without the morbid trepidation that usually occurs in early June. Historically, according to NOAA’s stats for Lewistown’s climate, [http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/tfx/dx.php?wfo=tfx&type=text&fx=PNSCLM_2009], the average freeze-free days are bound by May 29 and September 11. In 2009, they were June 8 and Sept 27, followed by the coldest October since 2002 with dailies 40F below average, with one day reaching -15F, and laying 3 feet of snow in central Montana’s mountains for Halloween. Suffering the hard ’09 June freeze and the hard chill in October was too much for vines on the cusp of death.
So far, though, we haven’t had a freeze since May 15, and the vines are growing like crazy. Well, that is, 69% of them.
I’ve updated the graphs and all the science on the grapes page to include part of the ‘07 through current vineyard climate data. Our growing degree days, temperature, and rainfall followed by this warm spell are ideal for vitis in a northern climate- we haven’t had a better year. For the first time I have a handful of vines actually behaving like normal, swelling buds along the entire length of previous years’ growths.
Could it be? Might this be the start of a banner year, producing stable trunks from which I may have actual cordons? The vines are already 3 years behind what would be their bounty in climates requiring less leather-like skin.
Remain stolid, at least for another frost free week. Then get drunk and celebrate.
August 30th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
And we thought WE had it tough. Last fall/winter/spring WAS a bad time for us, but we average 2700 GDD here in Miles City so it’s a lot easier for us to ripen things than it is for you two. We’re Montana’s newest licensed winery. Come see us when you are in the area.
Bob and Marilyn