Notes From The Winemaker

First Of The Year Limbo

We have had a good deal of storm activity here recently, but it is cold and partly cloudy today here in Sonoma. I saw some snow this morning on the southwest face of Mt. Veeder. By the end of this week we should surpass the total rainfall received in all of last growing season, which is pretty good news. I'm happy that the rain is coming in Winter rather than in Spring as it has for the last four or five years. That doesn't mean that we won't get rains in April in 2008, but I'm hoping that we don't get a lot – for a change.

Not much happening around here it seems. I have been nose-to-grindstone trying to put together end-of-year, start-of-year reports for various State and Federal agencies. And doing a little wine work when I can. Been out sick with the flu, but not so bad, or for so many days as in the last few years – the kids have brought home fewer bugs thank goodness. On my plate now is paperwork for winery debt refinancing and vineyard development for this year.

Fears of recession seem to be having an effect on our business. Orders are down. Customers are not paying outstanding invoices promptly – tough for our cashflow as well. I'm having to delay bottling and even vineyard pruning.

I'm headed for the Unified Symposium in Sacramento for one day this week – there aren't any seminars I can't live without but I want to gauge the sense of where the industry is going this year on the trade show floor. Ordinarily I would be ordering barrels at the show, but I'm in wait-and-see mode myself. If they are much over $1,000 each – pretty much the consensus I'm hearing from other winemakers just now – I want to rethink the number I will use for 2008.

Sort of feels like we're in limbo for the moment.

posted 1/28/2008 12:01:00 PM