This week we are in the middle of bloom. Normally I would be happy about that but this bloom shows the first portends of a challenging vintage. The bloom is not even. There are some clusters with full bloom while others are still tightly closed on the same vine. Below is a picture of full bloom in Merlot

The weather has also been less than ideal. Rain last Thursday night and cool, windy conditions are not ideal for an excellent set. This may be a blessing in disguise however. The flower clusters that are out there are big. Large wings and long primary clusters. Here is some Cabernet in Monastery Block of To Kalon.

In the meantime, I’ve decided to retire my boots. This has been the absolute best pair of boots I’ve ever had. Winemaking is hard on boots. They have to tromp through vineyards, up and down hills, in both wet and dry conditions then come into the winery only to be covered in grape pumace and splashed with wine. Mine have the added requirement of dealing with a house renovation and running after an 18 month old. I bought them for the 2010 vintage and they have lasted me through 2011, 2012, and 2013. I, of course, went out and bought the exact same shoe. I knew I had worn them down but until I compared the two pairs I had no idea how much. Here are the comparison pics below.

Apparently I’ve asked a lot from my shoes and these have delivered. Who knows how many miles they have walked but I look forward to seeing how many miles I can get out of the new pair!