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Our Philosophy
Snows Lake Vineyard Customer Philosophy
At Snows Lake Vineyard, we know that our grapes are only as good as the wines they make. With this in mind, we make every effort to provide both the grape quality and customer service that allows our client wineries to make the best possible wine from our remarkable fruit. It is yet another way that Snows Lake Vineyard has become a recognized leader in the viticulture of the Mayacamas Mountains.We know that communication is critical. Each year we prepare a specific viticulture plan with an analysis and protocol for each vineyard block. Our customers are actively involved in this process; we encourage them to review the plans and provide input on our farming practices. These plans then become the guidebook that directs our efforts for each block of grapes. Because our average block size is approximately 8 acres, this gives us great control.
Our viticultural group of top professionals uses the plan to provide growing information through-out the season to our customers. This information updates all of the data in the plan for each block, and gives a complete status report on their vines, the weather, viticultural techniques, etc.
It is very important that this flow of information be in both directions. Our client wineries are invited to visit Snows Lake Vineyard at key points during the growing season. We ask them to give us inputs on key viticulture tasks such as pruning and crop thinning. In addition, our customers are contacted before we undertake any unusual or unplanned activity in their blocks. We work with our customers as a members of team, not as mere vendors of grapes.
As harvest approaches, grape sampling data is made available to customers via password access to our internet site, so that they can monitor information and maturity trends constantly. Of course, harvest is winery directed, both in terms of timing and specifications, combined with our years of experience with Snows Lake Vineyard’s unique growing conditions.
Following the harvest, our customers are requested to provide post-season improvement comments. We also meet with our client wineries to taste all of the wines made from our grapes. For every vineyard owner, this is the real test, and we want to know exactly how our practices and techniques affect the final wine quality.
We take this interaction with our customers very seriously. Owner George Myers often personally attends the deliveries of our grapes to a client winery because he wants to make sure our feedback is as accurate and timely as possible. The results of these efforts are that we have an excellent record of maintaining positive and responsive interactions with our customers and have received tremendously positive feedback from many of our customers.
Part of providing information to our client wineries involves the accurate collection of that information on a vineyard-wide scale. We use the Arc View GIS system as our mapping vehicle for the vineyard. This system allows us to enter physical properties such as aspects, contours and soils, as well as physical vine data (clone, rootstock, etc.) all in a single, mapable database.
Satellite imagery is obtained each year to monitor and identify vigor inconsistencies in the vineyard. This information forms the basis for selective harvesting and future corrective actions as they are required.
Neutron probe, pressure bomb, shoot-tip measurements and ET models are used to employ a classic deficient irrigation program that targets 12-13 bars of negative pressure at or just prior to veraison, with 10-11 bars post-veraison thru harvest. Both automated stations (3) and numerous hand-read stations are used to monitor and differentiate weather data within the numerous micro climates on the ranch.
Our commitment to technology stems from the desire to provide accurate and valuable information to our management team and our customers. This commitment is mirrored by the size of our staff. In addition to two viticulturalists, we also employ a team of viticultural technicians, irrigators and irrigation assistants.
The information we place on the Internet is currently available for customers to access our Harvest Sampling Data. We have further plans for this site as the new data and analysis becomes available.
From the very personal involvement with every customer, to the very high-tech interactions with our database, the professional team at Snows Lake Vineyard has dedicated itself to providing both top quality fruit and the means to fully understand that fruit to some of the finest wineries in California.