My sister-in-law works for Burgess Cellars in Napa, CA and we usually drive up there at Christmas to celebrate with the family. I took these photos back in 2006, in December. I thought you might like to see these mature vines, as opposed to the "babies" in the Anza vineyards that I posted yesterday. These vines are 50+ years old and are in their prime. They produced zinfandel wine and I found some grapes still on the vines which were still on the vine after the fall harvest. (see 5th photo) Now they have been grafted over and produce cabernet or merlot. I love to walk among the vines and just look at them. To me, there is something magical about them. Maybe it's that to get a really good wine, the vines have to struggle, to undergo challenges of rocky soil and sparce water. My sister-in-law has 10 acres of merlot herself and believe me, it IS a struggle to produce quality wine! One year, while she was in Europe, a hard frost occurred and her vineyard manager couldn't get the pots lit in time to save her entire crop. It was destroyed by the frost. It has taken her over 4 years to recover from that one hard frost...sigh...On the other hand, she paid for a month-long European summer vacation for both of our children upon their graduation from college and they got to explore France and its vineyards with Aunt Cathy! Our daughter stayed in southern France with her, but our son went out exploring to Florence, Berlin, Munich, and Amsterdam. I am eternally grateful to her for her generosity and I can't wait to visit the Napa Valley again. Our World Tuesday for November 15, 2011. To visit OWT, please go to:
http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/
9 comments:
These are so beautiful!
I love seeing vines across a hillside.
And your header shot is specatular!
Cheers!
Nice vines in your captures. I like going wine tasting in the Napa Valley.
These are awesome pictures...I am enthralled with vineyards. I wish I new more about them besides the fact they produce wine--I think a little personal research is in order for me. AZ has some vineyards in the southern region (Elgin, Patagonia to name a couple)
I have yet to taste one of our local wines SHAME ON ME!
Beautiful vineyard shots. I had no idea that 50 year old vineyards are in their prime, or a single frost could cause such destruction.
Your header just blew me away!
We live in a wine growing area and I love the way you have portrayed the regimen of parallel lines of the bare vineyards juxtapose against the leaves and grapes in the foreground. Here we have irrigators and people who make 'real' wine the old-fashioned way.
I love reading your post, the vineyard is 50yrs it already past the golden anniversary, that's excellent it means a successful business if that's the length of the operation.
It's also good after all those years your SIL fully recovered and I hope it will continues its success on the healthy growth of the vine yard. It's also a nice relaxation to walk around the yard especially seeing the bunches of grapes ready for harvest.
Great photos. It's amazing these plants are 50 years old.
Bella Vida by Letty
Have a great day.
After a bit of rest I bet those vines will make some tasty wine. - Margy
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