Calistoga Tour Update

Our groups tend to be smaller this time of year, so you can always almost get a private tour without paying for the exclusivity. One of the sights that greets visitors to both Sonoma and Napa counties, at this time of year is fields of wild mustard growing lush and expansive across the landscape. This is the same plant that produces the mustard seed used in making the culinary product. But the plant is not harvested in the Wine Country for that purpose. Instead, it performs another, perhaps even more valuable function.

Our guests are continually surprised to find acres and acres of mustard growing between rows of grapevines. Mustard is planted as a cover and companion crop in vineyards. Then the mustard is tilled under to fix nitrogen in the soil, which in turn is utilized by the grapevines for healthy growth.

Last Monday was a beautiful day. Our guests, Vi and John rode with me mostly north of Calistoga we saw lots of wild mustard in bloom that was not in evidence the last time I took this route just two weeks ago. The other thing we noticed, as the weather warms up the effort to prune back the grapevines while they are still dormant was picking up. A team of about 12-15 skilled pruners was spreading out in one of the vineyards that we rode by. Knowing how to properly prune grapevines is a valuable and sought after skill. Grape growers generally want very experienced people who can work quickly and decisively.This is an important step to increase growth of new canes on the vine.

Tom, Tour Guide & Principal Oenoweenie