Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: 2008 May

Hello,

This is the climate update for the month of May 2008.
We have (finally) recorded about 206 degree days from April 1 through May 31. This is within tolerance (read "sampling error") of the 194 degree days recorded during the same period in 2007 and a bit short (like 30%) of the 259 degree days from 2006. However, I do not see any impairment to wine quality at this point. Unless you factor in the Euro, but more on "politi-nomics" another time.
During May, our highest high was 102.60 and our lowest high was 97.10. Our lowest low was 35.70 and our highest low was 38.70 degrees Fahrenheit. The rainfall for May was a quick 0.23 inches and was about 0.88 inches less than last May's rainfall of 1.10 inches. Year-to-date rainfall is 17.23 inches compared to last year's 16.32 inches.
We began Bud Break in the Pinot Noir on or about 3 pm, Monday, May 5, 2008. We observed the 2007 Pinot Noir break bud on Thursday, April 5 which, agriculturally speaking, is "nearly exactly" two weeks ahead of the 2006 Pinot Noir bud break of April 19. The 2005 Pinot Noir bud break was March 15.
Our first sulfur spray was the last week of May. Doubles have been thinned, but the catch wires remain on the vineyard floor with the resilient, but slowly dying Wild Garlic. A quick note to those of you looking for a nice herbicide spray that will knock back your weeds and suckers, try Rely. Look for the new and improved "Rely 200" with lower use rates.
My summer cover crop is Buckwheat and Vetch.
Ernie
It has recently come to my attention that someone's winemaking career now spans 3 decades - that's 210 dog years. At this time, I would like to point out that there is a difference between 30 years of experience and 1 year of experience 30 times. Congratulations Steve - Very Nicely Done!