I hope everyone is doing the rain dance. Nor Cal is like living in Nevada. Hot dry days and cold nights.
I am very grateful to have gotten the rain that we have gotten, it sure helps. But it is only helping the now. As far as the conditions of the lakes, they are in bad shape.
From what I have found that no farmers out there have really been through these conditions with wine grapes. These are similar situations that happened in the 30s and the 70s but the areas were not all planted to grapes like they are now.
I believe having the conditions like thus back to back have expressed other things in the vines, such as red blotch which no one really has an answer for. The vines are definitely in survival mode due to the outlying feeder roots that are beyond the drip zone have not received that natural rain event type water.
I believe also this year we will make it through with what we have in rain and what has been forecasted but we will take special care on over watering, canopy management and fruit load. That is where I am at today. Even if we receive more water in the year we are still in a large water deficit. So I urge everyone, please use water wisely.
Thanks,
Tony