Winter Rain in Paso Robles
January 29, 2007
This winter, so far, has been cold and dry. We've had three consecutive weeks (ending this weekend) where temperatures dropped into the mid-20s or colder, including several nights down around 10. This is no problem for the vineyard, which benefits from being forced into total dormancy. But, the high pressure that creates the clear, cold nights also keeps the Pacific storms from dousing the Central Coast with its winter supply of rain. The dormant vineyard (below) is awaiting pruning.
Finally, this weekend the weather pattern broke, and we got our first good dousing in over 2 months. Nearly an inch on Friday night was followed by a little more than half an inch of rain on Saturday night. The ground was sufficiently dry that it soaked it all up, and there is not yet any water running in Tablas Creek. I came out to the vineyard early on Sunday morning to see what the results had been, and found a gorgeous scene, with mist rising from the ground and the clouds clearing overhead. Below are some photos.
In front of the tasting room, looking east, and then in the Syrah vines to the south of the winery:
Finally, one more, looking south:
