April was relatively dry with foggy mornings. Typical spring weather with cool nights warm days and light showers. The vines loved it. We had an extraordinary display of Azaleas and rhododendrons enhanced by the 43”of rain we received November through March. Perfect.

We saw our first flowering on May 1st which is the earliest yet in our vineyards. Days are in the 80’s and nights are in the 40’s. Vines have reached the top wire and look great. We had some record high temperatures periodically in early spring. The end of May and start of June were cooler than normal.

We started watering the first week of June. The weather was still cooler than normal through mid August. Summer continued cooler than normal through mid-August then it turned hot at the end of August and first ten days of Sept. The grapes matured earlier than previous years due to earlier leafing and grape set—about two weeks. Verizon (coloring) was also earlier than usual.

Harvest came on 9/11/08 with high brix. Tastes sweet rich and ready. 3 barrels of Manzanita Hill Vineyard and only 11/2 barrels of Rattlesnake Ridge Vineyard. Phil Steinschriber, our winemaker, tried something different this year. He started malolactic in steel tanks after pressing, and then transferred it to barrels in five days. Malolactic fermentation went on schedule with the 4 ½ barrels being transferred to the cave before winter. The still new ’04 joined the ’02 and ’03 resting and ageing in their French Oak barrels during a wetter than usual but mild winter.

Yours Truly,
The Teachworth Family

Click on the link for archived Newsletters:  Vintage 2001

Click on the link for archived Newsletters:  Vintage 2002

Click on the link for archived Newsletters:  Vintage 2003