Ideal Growing Season!
Summer is coming to a close and and so far the growing season conditions through winter, spring and summer have been excellent. Fortunately, the rich clay and limestone soils of Pence Vineyards provide incredible water retention for the vines, allowing us to irrigate much less frequently than the sandy soil vineyards more typical of the Sta. Rita Hills. This results in vines with much deeper root systems that are far more resilient to heat spells when they inevitably occur, which, in turn, produce superior-quality wine grapes.
As an estate producer, Pence has the ultimate advantage over every negociant in that we completely control our grape growing. This is fundamental to being a great winery – without such control, the most important aspect of producing wine is missing. While some negociants may have a degree of influence with their vineyard sources, the critical decisions and execution thereof are made by the growers. This is why we obsess over our vineyard and treat it as our most valuable asset.
Investment in our Vineyards
This year, we have made yet further qualitative advances in our farming by bringing our winemaker, Sashi Moorman, into the vineyard. Having witnessed the steady improvements in our viticultural practices over the past twelve vintages, Sashi agreed with me that it was time to take Pence to the next level. As a result, Sashi is now strategically directing the overall farming program, working with Fransisco Ramirez and me to bring our quality to the absolute highest level possible. It is a spare no expense commitment, and we are all excited to witness and taste the results.
Beyond taking advantage of Sashi’s broad experience as a vigneron, this effort means more eyes on the vines and more intense row (and even plant) specific management. We are meeting regularly in the vineyard and literally walking back and forth for hours each time, assessing conditions and developing the next steps. Minutes are kept of each meeting and reviewed at the next to ensure each direction has been executed and subsequently assessed. The frequency of soil and plant lab analysis has also increased, providing more data to better understand what we are seeing in the field.
Already, we are witnessing improved canopy continuity within each block, with very little variance in height, density, and other critical metrics. We are precisely calculating the ratios of leaves to clusters, shoot lengths, and other data points that ultimately affect the quality of our grapes and, thus, our wines. It is an exciting time, and the entire Pence team is anxious to see and taste the results. We encourage you to visit and consider booking a vineyard tasting, where you can witness first-hand the fruits of our efforts!
Harvest Upon Us
As we stand on the cusp of harvest, anticipation runs high. Brix (sugar levels) for much of the vineyard blocks are in the high teens and low twenties, with one block set to be picked tonight, August 20th, targeting 23 Brix. Our vineyard team continues to be hard at work, busy with sugar sampling, bunch counts, and cluster weight analysis across each of our 24 blocks. In many cases, they are sampling in 5-6 different areas within each block, as we tend to pick sub-blocks based on analysis and taste. This makes for a complex matrix of tracking and intricate harvest planning, culminating in the precise execution of the actual grape harvest. On a qualitative note, this vintage looks exceptional – and this is no mere hype. The conditions mirror those of 2023, with perfect settings for set, veraison, and long, moderate temperature ripening.
We look forward to sharing the remarkable results of this vintage with you.
In Gratitude,
Blair Pence