Jean-Luc and Fifi - Week 3
Things are sprouting all over the place here in Sokol Blosser’s 75 acres of vineyards. The vines are beginning to come alive! Our two representative vines, Jean-Luc Pommard and Fifi Gris, have a unique perspective.
Kitri: “So, what’s going on out there, guys? Seems like there’s a lot more green than last week.”
Jean-Luc: “That’s for sure. Just in the last two weeks, I’ve developed some rather lovely shoots, each with two or three tiny clusters. In June, those little ones will begin to bloom.”
Fifi: “Me, too! My tiny clusters of Pinot Gris will actually end up being larger than Jean-Luc’s Pinot Noir clusters.”
K: “What’s this I hear about your health, Fifi?”
F: “Well, (cough), last summer I was attacked by voles, along with lots of my friends in the Willamette Valley. They ate away at my base, leaving my fate a little precarious this year! But my clusters will continue to grow for now, and we should know the final prognosis by the end of June.”
K: “Best of luck to you. Everyone who enjoys Sokol Blosser’s crisp and refreshing Pinot Gris will be rooting for you – no pun intended! And Jean-Luc, what will you be up to in the coming weeks?”
JL: “Soon, the vineyard crew will place a catch wire across my shoots so my tendrils will have something to grab onto in order to grow upward and not go sprawling all over the ground. With my shoots so carefully spaced, there will be just enough room between each shoot for air and sunlight to get through. My clusters will be very healthy and full, thanks to the Sokol Blosser vineyard crew looking after me! Come harvest in October, I will make excellent Pinot Noir.”
Thanks, Fifi and Jean-Luc! Next week, we’ll look forward to an update on how Sokol Blosser keeps your weeds to a minimum – with no chemical sprays or herbicides. Until then – au revoir!