Albemarle Terroir

For more discussion of the 2010 Virginia growing season weather and it’s effect,  see this article. And another.

We’re going to take a culinary diversion.    I make a butternut squash lasagna 6-10 times per year that is just fantastic.      It turns out that butternut squash seeds from my compost pile came up in my garden this year and we decided to let grow.   Now, in late August,  we have a crop [...]

A recent C-Ville Magazine has a nice short article on how the Albemarle drought and warm summer affected local wine growers.     The hot dry summer resulted in harvest starting as much as 3 week early. The reduced amount of water reduces yields because the vines can’t fill the grapes as much as normal. [...]

2010 is not 2009.   2009 Bordeaux wines were released earlier in 2010 with much fanfare because of the near perfect climate conditions during the 2009 season.   As shown below,   the 2010 Bordeaux growing season is shaping up to be significantly cooler than 2009.   The Growing Degree Days (blue line) for 2010 [...]

You’ve probably been wondering how the Albemarle Wine climate has been progressing in 2010.  The short summary is HOT!   The graph below provides both: 1) A comparison of Albemarle County 2010 daily average temperatures (green line) and average temperatures (purple line)  since May 1, and 2) A comparison of Albemarle County 2010 growing degree [...]