Fog’s Reach

We were extremely pleased when the Arroyo Seco broke a six-year stretch of low rainfall and welcomed over 10 inches of precipitation prior to the 2017 growing season. The vineyards responded with healthy springtime canopy growth as they entered a very moderate summer period, with daily temperatures averaging in the low 80s. The hottest day of the year in the Arroyo Seco (and indeed the entire state of California) hit in the middle of the Labor Day weekend on September 2nd, with temperatures reaching 111 degrees Fahrenheit! Fortunately for us, we had adopted the unique practice of delayed pruning many years ago where we actually allow our Pinot Noirvines to emerge from dormancy and begin their springtime growth prior to the annual pruning. This practice causes a 2-week delay in vine maturity and allowed us to avoid the need to harvest during this dramatic late-summer 2017 heat spike. Indeed, we were able to allow the fruit an additional month of hangtime on the vine to develop the full flavor profile that drives our J. Lohr Fog’s Reach Pinot Noir.