![Fred Scherrer seated on a flatbed trailer with harvested grapes with Opal the Labrador keeping company.](https://scherrerwinery.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Fred-and-Opal-Harvest-2023-scaled.jpg)
The 2024 growing season started off quite favorably, with a second year in a row of ample winter rains to thoroughly replenish the soil moisture. The vines look great. They have been subject to a couple of well-timed heat spells, early enough in the season to temper the newly developing leaves to those conditions. Bloom time weather was relatively favorable, albeit cool causing a longer bloom period than usual county-wide. The crop level looks better in some places that last year came out quite light, while the areas that yielded well last year look a little lighter this year. It looks like a nice balancing act for 2024 so far. There have been a few small fires here and there which are of no far reaching viticultural consequence except unfortunately to some limited impact on a few vineyards (and structures, of course) right adjacent to them. Cal Fire has been as keen as a hungry snake on a rodent in suppressing these.
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