We receive a lot of questions this time of year about what is going on in the vineyards. In addition to the leaves growing like crazy and soaking up that sunshine, we have reached the fruit set stage here in the Doffo vineyards. Fruit set is the stage when the flower buds that have been fertilized begin turning into berries (grapes). One major factor in this stage is the weather, and we’ve been fortunate to have very mild weather this Spring, which is ideal for fruit set! Although you may think that spring showers would be good for the vines, heavy rain during flowering can actually knock flowers off and disrupt the fruit set.
The favorable conditions we have experienced this Spring have resulted in a high number of berries per cluster, and that is likely to mean above average yields come Harvest. And while a bigger yield may sound like an opportunity to make more wine, it is actually an opportunity to be especially selective about the quality of fruit that goes into each of our wines. We have always been and will continue to be focused on quality over quantity, and although it is early, the 2021 crop is looking very promising indeed!
Finally, we will be opening up the 2021 Doffo Barrel Club on July 1st, so if you would like to join us in this hands-on winemaking experience, be on the lookout for the announcement that memberships are on sale! In the meantime, you can learn more about the club here.
