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The 2007 growing season began in promising fashion with a relatively mild spring.  We had light to moderate rainfall and a brief heat spike at the end of May just prior to bloom, which began in early June.  Conditions were ideal during flowering, with temperatures moderate and almost no rain.  We had a brief heat spell in early July (with temperatures over 100oF for a couple of days) but then almost all of August was cool and overcast.  The hot, drying east wind kicked in for a few days in early September, but then we had a return to overcast and cool.  We even had a week in mid-September that was cold and drizzly.  By September 20th we were watching forecasts that predicted an extended period of heavy rain beginning at the end of the month, so, even though we would have ideally waited a little longer, we began the harvest and brought in as much as we could as fast as we could.  Between September 20th and 29th we did about 85% of our total harvest under mostly ideal conditions - cool mornings and warm, sunny afternoons.  We did have some heavy rain overnight on the 27th, but kept going on the 28th and 29th during cool and sprinkly conditions.  We finally had to stop after receiving almost an inch of rain on the 30th.  As predicted, the weather did turn unfavorable after that - we had about 2" of rain between September 30th and October 4th, had small window of dry weather on the 5th and 6th to finish up the harvest, then it stayed cool and wet (over 4" of rainfall) until almost the end of October.  Ultimately, we were very happy that we had made the decision to pick rather than wait, as many winemakers did, for a return to good weather and further ripening.  2007 was one of those years in which that just didn't happen; had we left the grapes out in those three weeks of cold and wet they would have been at severe risk of mold and rot, and the wines would have turned out thin, light, and dilute.  Because bloom had been a little earlier than usual and we had had good conditions during the growing season, we did have enough hang time for good development and maturity even though we picked a few days earlier than we may have had the weather not forced our hand.  And the wines are turning out to be very nice. 

 

This is the first year we've produced a single-block bottling from this section of our vineyard.  Part of this block, a one acre piece to the west, had been planted with Cabernet Sauvignon for many years but was replanted to Pinot Noir in 1998.  The eastern portion, which had been Chardonnay, was planted to Pinot Noir in 2000.  Open, accessible, and loaded with lush fruit, this may be the most evolved of our three single block bottlings.  While there are more red fruit characters - strawberry and raspberry - than the black cherry and blackberry of the Goosepen and Big Tree Blocks, this bottling of Peach Tree Block still has the same red Jory soil earthiness and minerality.  The texture is soft and round, and the finish is long, smooth, and concentrated.