yesterday was very odd.. my iphone weather app showed 2.8 inches of rain occurring Labor Day Monday September 7th! I could not believe my eyes, so I did what most farmers do…I checked 4 other weather websites to get more predictions. Yep, pretty much everyone showed rain next Sunday/Monday with the amounts very varied. Last night this prediction seemed to be dwindling and this morning the rain has disappeared from my weather app and from most forecasters’ predictions. Who knows we might get some odd tropical downpour next week…but let’s pray it blows on by and misses us entirely. RAIN would be devastating at this juncture of harvest. Please LORD, keep us dry…at least till October 15th (my end of harvest prediction). Certainly the crazy HEAT is over and now HOPEFULLY ripening will slow down in the vineyard. Just 1-2 BRIX a week increase – that’s what I’d love to see, not 4-6! This morning the low was 48 degrees, it felt amazing! It certainly feels like fall weather all of a sudden. My schedule this week is to finish all Viognier blocks. I’m thinking next week we will harvest Syrah-Frankel and Primitivo-4 Corners. Then the following week perhaps Grenache and maybe even Cabernet Sauvignon. I often ask…”Will this be a September heavy harvest or an October heavy harvest?” Right now, it’s a September harvest for sure!