Grafting is underway at the Cassidy Ranch vineyard! For the past three years we’ve been growing several blocks of rootstock, which is the just lower root section (not the top fruiting section) of the grapevine. Now that it’s established a deep root system, it’s time to graft on the top half, which eventually grows up to produce wine grapes. Growing just rootstock first (rather than already grafted vines) allows us to customize and grow what we believe is the best combination of root system + grapevine clones for our site, rather than relying on a more limited selection of pre-grafted vines at the nursery. We’ve selected our root system based on our soil type, desired vine vigor, and water needs. And we’ve matched the top grapevine clones based on our favorite flavor profiles and the type of wine we hope to make here. It’s a long, slow, and tedious process, but we’re getting closer to our first grape harvest from the Cassidy Ranch vineyard! #sonoma #cassidyranch #organicfarming #pinotnoir #grafting #winegrower