It’s been a slow start in the vineyards. The slowest we’ve experienced since we came back to Kitzingen. The first buds were breaking towards the end of the month, about three weeks later than last year. Days are still chilly, nights are still cold and we keep lacking rain. Nonetheless cherry, plum and apple trees cover the scenery with their… Read more →
When harvest has finished, everything is clean and tidy again, when the days get shorter and shorter and the leaves fall it’s time to start pruning. One of the most challenging and wonderful jobs. For every vine a bunch of small decisions have to be made: “Does it make sense to leave this spur so it develops into an arm… Read more →
A harvest of superlatives is coming to an end. Not only did we have the by far lowest yield ever (with about 15hl/ha) but it was also the longest harvest ever starting end of August lasting until the last days of October. It didn’t start with the usual rush. It actually was a fairly chilled start. We spent the first… Read more →
The decent amount of rain we got in June helped our frost damaged vineyards grow quite a bit. Particularly the flowers we sowed in the baby vineyard. I let them grow high until the vines started becoming invisible to encourage their roots going down. But at some point the green had to be cut or the vines would have vanished… Read more →
Let’s not get started being all whiny but with something cute as June is the month of baby animals. Like this bunny I almost hit with the tractor: After the frost disaster June became a complete reset for us. The vines were in shock and it took them 2-4 weeks until they started growing again. Green-pruning started over again from… Read more →
There have always been late frost nights in the history of farming destroying more or less of the growing harvest. The only thing people could think of in the very past was to dedicate the last dangerous days in the middle of May (11th – 15th) to a couple of saints so they can offer protection. We call them the… Read more →
Planting a new vineyard is a milestone that will last for at least a generation. Deciding about the variety is a major choice. But deciding about where to plant, which distances between rows and vines, the training system and thinking beyond the vineyard as a place of resource production is at least equally important. We’re in the middle of a… Read more →
Remarkable weeks lie behind us. Seeing all the wonderful restaurants, bars, shops and freelancers we’re connected to suffer from the Corona shutdown has been breaking our hearts. Where will this all end? Many places offer pick-up or delivery options these days and we’re thankful that many of you make use of this. And not surprisingly online is booming. Nonetheless there… Read more →
The sun is shining bright and strong this morning on our Christmas tree as my thoughts go back to 2013. Oskar was a couple of months old starring at the lights of the candles and we had just filled our first three barriques with the first Heimat Silvaner and the Wanderlust. We still didn’t have a clear plan what to… Read more →
When we returned from our little family vacation the 3rd week of August I thought we’d still have plenty of time until the rush begins. The first visitors arrived. It was a perfect summer week and dinner feasts were still taking place in the yard. It was a pleasure having our dear friend Sabine around during harvest to take care… Read more →
