Montemaggiore Blog
We are winegrowers not professional writers, thus this blog will probably only be updated a few times a year. In fact most of these posts either have appeared or will appear in our quarterly newsletter. Having said that, we hope you enjoy our insights on winemaking and winegrowing on a boutique level. We welcome your opinions and questions—and even your suggestions on future topics.
Once upon a Vine...
A movie about a biodynamic farm in southern California reminded me of all the great adventures we've had at Montemaggiore. Full of highs and lows but ultimately our experiences farming grapevines and olive trees have been life-affirming and soul-expanding. Continue »
Feb 5, 2019 at 4:14 PM
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Be the first to comment on this postBaseball taught me everything I know...
From patience to passion to trusting your instincts, baseball taught me a lot about life and growing grapes. Continue »
Drought and Wine at Montemaggiore
The past few years have brought droughts to Montemaggiore, and although we are quite water efficient, we are definitely impacted. Continue »
Berry Sensory Analysis: this winemaker's favorite harvest tool
How does a winemaker precisely assess ripeness in grapes? And do flavors in the grapes translate into flavors in the wine? The answers to these questions lend insight into how Montemaggiore chooses when to harvest the grapes. Continue »
Pollination is a fragile process easily disrupted by rain
Learn about the timing, difficulties, and statistics behind the pollination of both grapevines and olive trees. It's a much more fragile process than you would think. And it has huge consequences every vintage. Continue »
Syrah in Hermitage versus Healdsburg
Vincent and I went to the "Mecca" of Syrah and stayed in Tain L'Hermitage to revel in the wines, the vineyards, and the fabulous food. We couldn't help comparing and contrasting our vineyard and winery in Healdsburg with those of Hermitage. Continue »
Cane Pruning in the Vineyard
Every winter while the vines are dormant, Pedro prunes each of our 14,000 vines. He uses a method called cane pruning is complex and time-consuming, but worth the effort! Continue »
Biodynamic Certification: is it necessary?
Many people say their vineyards are farmed organically and/or biodynamically, yet they aren't certified as such. Does it matter? Yes! Continue »
The Mathematics of Grapes
How many bottles of wine does that vine produce? Mathematics has the answer! Continue »