Patience and Timing.

In winemaking, as in life, we take what we are given and must transform it into something more. 2011 has been a challenge. The amount of rainfall Virginia saw in September was staggering. We were able to keep the fruit clean and the deer out of the vineyards, but because of the weather the sugar levels were a struggle. We harvested the Vidal on a cool and foggy morning in late September, one of the only dry days we were given. Farming takes patience and timing. It’s a risky business. Time for some creative work in the winery.

In a small boutique winery the limited production is truely a hand-crafted, labor intensive product. The human attention to detail has been a part of the winemakers craft  for millenia.  Some wines are still make by hand.  August is the relese of our 2009 Petit Verdot. This Virginia-grown Petit Verdot is rich and complex, deeply pigmented, and with firm tannins. Aged in oak, this unfiltered wine promises a good future as a "Library Wine" as well as being enjoyable today. 

This is Family.

Weekly shareholder conference and corporate meeting is held most Saturday mornings with fresh coffee at the breakfast table. I’ve been told you should run your business more like a family and your family more like a business, but Rogers Ford is one and the same.  There are few  things more worthy or more important.

Winter Pruning.

This is more than just a time to cut back last year’s vigor to prepare for the new vintage. This is a time to look closely at what you have, what you are given, and make a commitment to what is best. What you do in the vineyard now will affect your yield in the fall. It will affect how you might prune this vine next year. It must be done with care and skill, wisdom and insight. This is a chance to visit each vine in turn, check its progress and make a decision.  Make a Commitment.