Blogs

April, 2016

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

Spring started with a mini cold wave so the past two nights have been spent in the vineyard driving around in circles watching temperature gauges and being prepared to turn on fans, sprinkler systems, or our new frost guard machines which are tractor driven and weave their way through the vineyards. We had an early bud break, at least as early as last year.

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The Dirtman has a nickname: Louis Lucas! - Photo by D. Johannsen

March, 2016

From the Ground Up
We expect to be finished pruning by the end of this week and will be tying by mid next week, just in time to avoid knocking the buds off when we tie to the trellis system. Budding out this early will cause us to have a prolonged frost season. More rain would help protect the crop. At high moisture levels, frost damage is less severe. It still makes for a long time to be on call for frost protection.
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Katcho Achadjian, Louis Lucas, and Royce Lewellen accepting Louis Lucas lifetime achievement award

February, 2016

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

There’s nothing like a farmer starting off with a weather report! We’ve reached the point that to go forward we need an abundance of rain for the next sixty days. We have a good start.

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Louis offering the lovely Jane Seymour his autograph!

January, 2016

From the Ground Up
We started pruning in early December. It takes 35 workers about 90 days to prune our vineyards. It is one of the most tedious jobs that we do. Selection of the proper canes and spurs will determine what kind and what size of crop we have.
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Lucas & Lewellen Winemaker Megan McGrath Gates and Assistant Ian Fainer

December, 2015

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

I am very thankful for the half a crop that I got this year! It could have been less. Really, we have much to be thankful for. I think we all seem to take too many things for granted.

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The Dirtman always wants to know what Wine Club members think of our latest releases! - Photo by David Johannsen

November, 2015

From the Ground Up
This harvest started the first week of August and ended the second week of October - the earliest start and finish in my 43 years of harvesting grapes in Santa Barbara County. One consolation is that we will have had time to prepare for the Harvest Party. Things should be in great shape to enjoy the festivities.
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Valley View Vineyard

October, 2015

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

I love baseball. I played catcher in school and my idol was the late Yogi Berra, whose famous saying was “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” And our 2015 crop is over!

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Who says farming is hard?

September, 2015

From the Ground Up
Harvest is well underway and a couple of weeks earlier than ever before. Our yields in some varieties, like Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio, are unbelieveably low. Both bunch size and berry size are small. This situation is statewide, especially in the coastal regions. Everyone is questioning why.
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A photo of Louis Lucas in the vineyard

August, 2015

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

Believe it or not, we will be picking grapes probably by the 10th. Our first pick will most likely be Pinot Grigio from Santa Maria which will go to Toccata. Our Pinot Grigio crop in Santa Maria is excellent but in Los Alamos, about 1/3 of the crop did not develop. The resulting loss is over 75 tons of fruit.

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Louis and his main squeeze, Jill!

July, 2015

From the Ground Up
We are at the beginning of what could be our earliest season yet. Little rain and warm weather have pushed the grapes early. Of course, now that they’re out about a foot, we are spending our nights watching for frost. Fortunately, each night has been borderline, but we did need to be there in case temperatures dropped near daybreak. We’re really just babysitters of the vineyard. 
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The Dirtman's new yard shade!

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