Did I mention it's pissing down rain today? Well it is. Good day for getting caught up in the cellar. All picking is off. Looks like it may clear off by the end of the week. Check it out for yourself. Contact me to learn more about a unique winery and vineyard site in the Okanagan valley...

No, it's another beautiful day. I remarked how green the countryside is now, a southern version of Ireland, here in Campania. Fortunato explained that it has rained a great deal this spring -- a blessing because last summer was quite hot, with little rain after July. Before that, a warm dry winter. "If we get some rain near the end of July," he just told me, "this could be a very good vintage...

Yes, we finally got some rain!  Two straight days of light, gently penetrating rain.  It was gray and drizzling, and we were so happy!  Well, it wasn't so great for my poor sister and her boyfriend who were here visiting from England, but they joined in our celebration, even if they would have preferred a few sunny days! We had a picnic in the vineyards on Sunday, kind of an annual celebration...

Can you believe it? It's still raining. A wet Chantico to you all.

I get asked just about every day how we are handling all the rain and is it causing any damage to the vines. The quick answer is no... not yet. Here is a link to an article that does a nice job of spelling out the current conditions and the risks inherent in too much rain. Click here for the SFGate.com article All the best, Duane...

RAIN!!! IN THE FORCAST FOR CALIFORNIA FOR OCTOBER 6TH AND MAYBE 7TH! Monterey County normally recieves about .8 of an inch of rain in October (National Weather Service). At Chateau julien we have already harvested over 200 acres of grapes and are closing in on completion for the year. The only ... after rain to keep the vineyard and grapes in the best condition possible. We will keep you informed...

Last October, in the midst of Long Island grape harvest, we received over 17 inches of rain in an eight-day period. Most of the white grapes had already been picked (thankfully) but some wineries ... . With rain, sometimes heavy rain, over the past several days, you can't blame vineyard managers ... , the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto arrive this weekend, bringing more rain. It's only the end...

... are calling for, but you can be assured we well all get a lot more rest after these rain clouds disappear...

47mm of rain and a cool breeze blowing through my window. I celebrated with a bottle of shiraz and a plate of beef stew . . .http://feeds.feedburner.com/WinoSapien...

I never thought I would say that!  After the last 3 years of drought conditions, when we begged for rain, this spring has been a complete turn-around. We've had rain virtually the whole month of May! This week it rained almost every day with a couple of really good heavy rains and thunder storms ... were out there again. Normally we treat every two weeks, but with all of the rain we have been getting...