VINTAGE 2014
  • PART 1
  • PART 2
  • PART 3
  • CREDITS

Flowering & Fruit Set

Historic Drought Hurts Dry Farmed Vineyards in California

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 Bill Wathen, drought, dry farming, Foxen, Tinaquaic, videos

Bill Wathen brings us back to Tinaquaic Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, where a historic drought in California is hindering fruit growth. The possibility of extremely low yields brings up the concern of not making enough wine in 2014 to cover the cost of farming the Tinaquaic Vineyard.

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Wes Hagen: Clos Pepe Vineyard & Winery

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 Clos Pepe, interviews, Wes Hagen

Everything you ever wanted to learn about viticulture could be asked of Wes Hagen of Clos Pepe Vineyard and Winery. Our loquacious guest shares a myriad of thoughts on topics ranging from Socrates to Russian ballerinas to Robert Parker.

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Jonathan Nagy Explains Vertical Shoot Positioning

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 Byron, featured, Jonathan Nagy, videos, vines

Winemaker Jonathan Nagy explains vertical shoot positioning (VSP) and other techniques employed by the vineyard team at Byron to take advantage of the unique climate of the Santa Maria Valley.

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Bill Wathen & Dick Doré: Foxen Winery & Vineyard

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 Bill Wathen, Dick Doré, drought, dry farming, Foxen, interviews

The ubiquitous “Foxen Boys,” Bill Wathen and Dick Doré of Foxen Winery & Vineyard share their extensive history, perspectives on the diversity of grape growing in Santa Barbara County, and some of that great personality that comes out after being partners for a few decades.

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Jonathan Nagy: Byron Winery

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 Byron, featured, interviews, Jonathan Nagy

No other winemaker is quite as jovial as Byron’s Jonathan Nagy.

Listen as he gives a straightforward lowdown on what it’s like to be married to another winemaker and how he makes the Santa Maria Valley’s principal varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, distinctly different.

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UP CLOSE: Fruit Set

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 featured, fruit, photos, vines

The pollination of little grapevine flowers almost immediately leads to a phase called “set,” where the fruit actually begins to appear on the cluster in the form of very small grape seeds, and berries to protect them. Continue reading →

Heat Spikes Hinder Bloom at Tinaquaic Vineyard

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 Bill Wathen, Dick Doré, drought, dry farming, featured, Foxen, Tinaquaic, videos

Bill Wathen takes us on another walk up to Tinaquaic Vineyard to see how things are progressing after a severe heat spike during bloom. Dick Doré joins us, talking about the economics surrounding dry farming.

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LEAF LOVE: Grenache Blanc

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 art, featured, leaves

As a printmaker, Karen Gearhart-Jensen is compelled to look at the texture and pattern of an object that catches her eye. Her enjoyment and growing fascination with the process of winemaking lead her to explore the ever-so-humble grape leaf.

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UP CLOSE: Bloom

 Flowering & Fruit Set
 featured, fruit, photos, vines

Shortly after the grape cluster appears and grows a bit larger, which takes anywhere from three to eight weeks, tiny fragrant flowers appear all over it. This very important phase in viticulture is called “bloom.” Continue reading →

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VINTAGE 2014

A multimedia collaboration set in Santa Barbara County, California during the 2014 wine grape growing season.

This crowd-funded project brings together visual artists, musicians, writers and wine farmers to document the 2014 vintage from a viticulture perspective.

EXPLORE TOPICS

birds business cover crop drought dry farming frost fruit leaves vines

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