Winter Vineyard Care
Is there ever enough daylight to attend to the trials and tidbits of farming? Thank goodness it’s a leap year! A bonus day to get all of our ducks in a row for the Spring. Sure thing. February is a month of pruning. Every vine in each vineyard needs handwork. We cut out old growth to make room right where we want it for new buds to burst forth. Madson Wines predominantly relies on cane pruning, which is a method of selecting a couple of the past year’s canes as the main source of new growth. We also spur prune when needed, depending on the varietal and the condition of the vine. Pruning is an art form. Many choices made now will affect the fruit conditions months down the line. This is your winemaker’s favorite vineyard activity. As sunshine breaks the ridgeline over Toyon Vineyard, 3 miles from the Pacific coastline, hear Cole Thomas announcing, “This is the best job in the vineyard!” with a big grin. Check out this article from Wine Folly for some detailed pruning technique illustrations. https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/grape-vine-training-methods-illustration/
Is there ever enough daylight to attend to the trials and tidbits of farming? Thank goodness it’s a leap year! A bonus day to get all of our ducks in a row for the Spring. Sure thing. February is a month of pruning. Every vine in each vineyard needs handwork. We cut out old growth to make room right where we want it for new buds to burst forth. Madson Wines predominantly relies on cane pruning, which is a method of selecting a couple of the past year’s canes as the main source of new growth. We also spur prune when needed, depending on the varietal and the condition of the vine. Pruning is an art form. Many choices made now will affect the fruit conditions months down the line. This is your winemaker’s favorite vineyard activity. As sunshine breaks the ridgeline over Toyon Vineyard, 3 miles from the Pacific coastline, hear Cole Thomas announcing, “This is the best job in the vineyard!” with a big grin. Check out this article from Wine Folly for some detailed pruning technique illustrations. https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/grape-vine-training-methods-illustration/
Vintage 2023
Everything we do at Madson is part of a cycle. The cold winter kept soils cool late into Spring and mild coastal temperatures delayed flowering. A late flowering can influence how much “shatter” the vineyard experiences. Shatter is a term used when the climate conditions cause some failure in pollination, resulting in less fruit. We harvested each vineyard about one month later this year than we did in 2022, and do on average. Despite a lower yield and a later start, we are very excited about what the vineyard conditions meant for the quality of our wine. Clusters hung on the vines longer, getting to mature fully without overheating. It will be a memorable vintage for our palates, hurrah!
As a neighbor, wine club member, fellow vineyard enthusiast: we give thanks for your support. Participating in this process is humbling and wonderful. Thank you for sharing in the fruits of our labor.
Everything we do at Madson is part of a cycle. The cold winter kept soils cool late into Spring and mild coastal temperatures delayed flowering. A late flowering can influence how much “shatter” the vineyard experiences. Shatter is a term used when the climate conditions cause some failure in pollination, resulting in less fruit. We harvested each vineyard about one month later this year than we did in 2022, and do on average. Despite a lower yield and a later start, we are very excited about what the vineyard conditions meant for the quality of our wine. Clusters hung on the vines longer, getting to mature fully without overheating. It will be a memorable vintage for our palates, hurrah!
Participating in this process is humbling and wonderful. Thank you for sharing in the fruits of our labor.
Spring Sauvignon Blanc Pairing
What to do with the zest? A Winter / Spring Sauvignon Blanc Pairing
Have you been adding Meyer lemon zest to just about everything these days?
Madson’s cellar - the office corner, tasting room, snack fridge, spare books stack - all but the vineyards are located in a lovely large warehouse on the west side of Santa Cruz, California. Folks on the team enjoy an occasional lunchtime wander around the neighborhoods adjacent to our building. And from Winter on through Spring you’ll witness Meyer lemons ripening from trees on nearly every street. Grateful for plenty of citrus to go ‘round, here is one way to employ the tangy rinds:
Joy of Lemon Zest Salad
Use 1 head of fresh lettuce or frisee, rinse clean and chop as you like.
Place greens in a large bowl and toss with a generous drizzle of olive oil, 2 pinches of flaky salt.
Add a scoop of toasted walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped.
Add 1/4-1/2 cup of dried Montmorency cherries or a handful of fresh raspberries.
Crumble a good bit of plain or honeyed goat cheese into the bowl, enough so that every second bite gets taste of that creamy tart flavor.
Lastly, using a microplane or other fine grater, grate the zest of 1 Meyer lemon over the salad. Toss the whole delightful mess together and savor with a slice of sourdough toast and a glass of Madson’s 2022 Sauvignon Blanc.
Serves 1 - 4, depending on the day, the crowd, the appetite.
End of Year Notations
Offerings and Observations From the Crew
December 28, 2022
A dose of gratitude, a bit of reflection, and some anticipation…
Practical joys like warm lighting, a lovely shade of green, and a friend’s “welcome in” offer comfort through the toils and triumphs of a year. As this one comes to a close and our team at Madson reflects on a year of change and growth, I give particular thanks for our new efficient steamy glass cleaner, the Cellar Door dishwasher!
Over the summer Madson moved the winery from a small barn in Corralitos to the west side of Santa Cruz, California. Tino and Cole got right to work organizing tanks and tools for the team’s first successful vintage in the new space. Grapes were ripe for harvest starting mid-August with Pinot Noir (early for the Santa Cruz mountains) and finishing mid-October with Syrah. Come November post-harvest relief, Madson could shift focus to the Cellar Door, or Tasting Room. Those of you who’ve come by for tastings or a glass of our fall-release wines have witnessed firsthand some of the progression, beginning with one picnic table and a dozen glasses tucked in the corner. Currently, the space is more verdant and spacious with a beautiful, concrete bar in collaboration with Oxford Design and Concrete Craftsman and newly sheet-rocked walls. There are sample shades of clay up for coloring our walls in earthy warmth and we anticipate these last touches before hosting a grand opening in the New Year.
Amongst weekly winery chores and changes, Madson participated in wonderful events including Santa Cruz Wine Walks, RAW Wine festivals, Big Sur Food and Wine, and UCSC Agro-ecology Department’s dinner with chef Alice Waters. In the new year, we plan to continue engaging with these collaborators for events and will invite you to join us along for the ride.
Along with our bravery and love of the process, it is you, willing to savor the aroma and taste of a thoughtfully made wine, who enable Madson to thrive. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Lastly, we are curious, did a friend splash their blind tasting of our chardonnay on themself just as they were about to describe its zesty crisp aroma to you? What memorable Madson moment brought levity or pause to your day this year? And, what collaboration, pop-up, or story of a team member would you like to see or hear from us in 2023?