Winter Breakthrough 2023

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November 18, 2022

Harvest 2022

The 2022 fall harvest started at 6:15am on September 19th with the Albariño from block G, and concluded at 9:30am on October 20th with the Cabernet Sauvignon in block H.

Join Us – 2022 Harvest

Just before sunrise on each harvest day, the crew rolls out with music emanating from the tractor down the vine rows. With buckets in hand as the morning light crests the Eastern horizon, pickers glide from vine to vine, well-paced to keep their fingers just warm enough under gloves.

The team moves through the vines like a cohesive organism.

Buckets are tossed, grapes are picked, and bins are filled. A whistle rings out – indicating it’s time to bring the tractor up the row. A bin inches up the slope. Bucket by bucket, grapes are poured into the harvest bin, slowly filling with the fruits of labor. Scanning the contents, pickers pull leaves from the haul and shift around the sticky fruit to fill each bin evenly to capacity.

Row by row, repetition hits a pace, and progress can be watched as pickers move across the hillsides.

Filled harvest bins are carted by tractor from the blocks to the main landing, where viticulturist Joe checks the fruit. Weighing each bin, he logs the stats in his paperwork, noting the haul for the year.

With each bin now weighed, Joe loads up the flatbed truck for delivery. The sweet and sour smells of grapes fill the air, and can be continuously smelled down to the highway. With his dog companion Salvador in the truck cab beside him, Joe pulls out for his deliveries all through the Columbia Gorge and down into the Willamette Valley.

Upon delivery, Joe greets winemakers who eagerly unload their fruit. Some choose to chill for the time being, while others process immediately, dumping the harvest bins directly into the sorting line.

Joe’s Harvest Summary

There is a shift in the atmosphere as the wild harvest energy simmers down and we transition back to normalcy. Looking back to the beginning of the year, the excitement was palpable knowing that this would be the first significant harvest at Threemile. For the first time, 16 of our cultivars would be mature enough to harvest.

Late_season_frost_2022_threemile_vineyard_cropped

Just as the season was beginning to warm up, we were struck with a surprise early season frost. Though it was poor timing for freezing temperatures, there was very little damage to the buds. The majority of the vines affected were in the upper blocks, which were not ready for harvest for this year.

We had a remarkably wet and cool spring continuing all the way to early summer. We received about five times the regular precipitation and roughly half of the heat accumulation compared to the same time last year.

As we approached fall harvest, the forecast was remarkable to any grape grower. With high to moderate temperatures and no rain from September through October, the grapes were allowed to retain ideal acid and sugar levels late into the season. The lack of early autumn rain allowed for each grape to continue ripening through October, pacing out our various cultivar picking to the exact moment of ideal ripening.

Syrah_ready_for_harvest_Threemile_2022_cropped

Joe enjoyed seeing the characteristics of each grape coming through, notably the Mencia which took off in growth in July, later than other cultivars. Due to the cool temperatures during the fruit set, the more vulnerable Grenache was mainly affected; however, the fruit survived the cold and the quality rang through.

Over the span of 25 days, 14 days of those were used for grape harvest. With no impending weather events to work around, there was a lot of ease to scheduling the pickings day by day. Roughly 77 acres were picked this year, with many more to come next year.

The_big_3_threemile_vineyard_team_people_harvest_2022

The Threemile team would like to thank our amazing winemaking partners for their communication and coordination to get fresh grapes to wineries promptly. We would also like to thank Results Partners for their heroic harvesting team, working early and long hours to get the freshest pick possible.

Albarino_harvest_2022_threemile_vineyard

Albarino_harvest_grapes_bin_2022_harvest

September 20, 2022

Fruit Sampling

Chenin_blanc_taste_testing_threemile_vineyard_wide-scaled

Why do we sample grapes?

As a part of the assurance of high-quality grapes, it is crucial that the grapes are harvested at the precise moment of ideal ripening. A “ripe” grape ready for harvest is determined by sugar and acidity levels. Desired sugar levels are generally within 19-24 brix; typically, the winemaker will specify the exact sugar levels they are seeking in their winemaking process.

The Collection

Starting at 8:30am on Tuesday, September 13th, viticulturist Joe Cushman sets out to pull samples from each cultivar that will be harvested for our second year of harvest at Threemile.

These grape samples will be picked up later in the day by fellow Columbia Gorge winemaker Darren Michaels from the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association. At Big River Laboratories, Darren Michaels and Kelly Johnson will then crush the collected samples to measure the progress of the contents. The results will indicate the titratable acidity (TA), strength of acidity (PH), and sugar (brix).

Using separate ziplock bags, 13 cultivars samples will be collected today. For these tests, Darren has requested a multitude of individual grapes be collected from throughout each grape’s respective block.

Syrah_collection_grape_samples_threemile

Joe, walking on foot from blocks A to G, hikes about six miles on a temperate late summer day. With vineyard dogs Salvador and Bean in tow, he cruises between rows, alternating between tasting and collecting grapes from behind protective bird netting. By collecting grapes from various vines throughout each block, an average can be estimated that will reflect the results of the entire block.

Joe_labeling_sangiovese_threemile_grape_

The Results

Grape_plucking_for_samples_threemile_vineyard

Thus far, the Albarino from block G and the Mencia from block B appear to be the closest to the upcoming harvest. Roussanne, Merlot, and Syrah are also quickly approaching their time measuring in at 18 brix each.

This chart shows test results from the collected samples

Seeing these test results, it becomes evident harvest is just around the corner for some of these cultivars. Joe predicts the first day of harvest to land on September 23rd, starting with the Albarino.

Going forward, samples will be collected each week to monitor sugar and acidity levels up until every cultivar is harvested. We are projected to harvest a total of 114 tons over the coming weeks at Threemile Vineyard.

June 3, 2022

May Familiarity Tasting

May 23rd, 2022, Threemile Vineyard hosts a wine tasting event with the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association.

We would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who came out to taste “weird whites” at our vineyard this past week. It was our honor to host fellow winemakers of the Gorge, and have our vineyard lay backdrop to CGWA’s May tasting event! What made this event all the more special for us was introducing our newly bottled Albariño to this esteemed group of winemakers and grape growers.

May_tasting_weird_whites_gorge_winegrowers_association

Each month, the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association hosts a themed familiarity tasting for the purpose of cultivar and varietal education as well as increased regional awareness for members and invitees. These events provide an opportunity to share and taste new wines within the Columbia Gorge region.

Winemakers gather to share their most recent endeavors and flavor inspirations. While each attending member offers their own wine for group sampling, the community shares stories of the wine making process, from seasonal vineyard growth, to fermentation, to blending.

May’s familiarity tasting was themed “weird whites”, meaning wine varietals made from white grapes that are not yet prominent in our area. Since the Willamette Valley has begun to gain recognition in recent years for its quality chardonnays, this tasting encourages the more unusual flavors of alternative whites grown in our region.

The Event

Threemile_May_tasting_white_wine_glass_wildflowers

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In the early evening at Threemile, the sun moves across the sky and stretches afternoon shadows across the wine rows. Cars drive down the vineyard road, small specks on the horizon gradually approaching.

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People begin to stream in with wine bottles in hand. Under the shadow of an oak tree in the grove and sheltered from the winds, white wines are lined up next to vibrant charcuterie boards provided by Gorge Wine Provisions.

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Threemile Vineyard’s general manager, Edwin Martinis, pours and guides the group through each wine, from driest to sweetest. Winemakers then, one-by-one, introduce themselves and present what they have brought as the group swirls, smells, and savors each sampling.

In attendance are fellow Gorge wine labels from: Phelps creek, Maryhill Wines, Mt Hood Winery, Doubblé troubbl é, Buona Notte, Cathedral Ridge & Tetrahedron Wines.

Threemile Albariño

Newly bottled and yet to hit the market, Threemile Vineyard presents an Albariño for the evening’s tasting, excellently crafted by winemaker John Grochau from Grochau Cellars.

With tasting notes of orange rind, underripe apricot and a hint of minerality, this Albraiño perfectly captures our terroir with balanced acidity, structure, and texture. As the first grapes of the vintage are tasted, the story of this varietal has commenced.

Threemile Vineyard would like to thank Jan Byrkit and Darren from the Gorge Winegrowers Association for allowing us to host the May familiarity tasting. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to join the community and contribute our space for a sunset tasting at the edge of the Columbia Gorge.

April 1, 2022

Pruning Workshop

On March 3rd, 2022, a master pruning workshop was hosted in the Columbia Gorge with a lecture at the Hood River Hotel and hands-on workshops at Syncline Winery and Threemile Vineyard. In attendance was a group of viticulturists and vineyard managers from the Columbia Gorge wine-growing area.

Luca_pruning_instruction_threemile_block_g

The Science of Pruning

Understanding the theory behind vine pruning techniques is key to sustainable wine grape growing. The basic principal is to work symbiotically with the vines natural growth habits to prevent die back and reinforce health, rather than aimlessly implementing our pre-determined notions of high-yield pruning.

Biologically, sap flow commences soon after the increase in daily temperatures in early spring. This movement of sap allows the vines to translocate carbohydrates from reserve areas to new points of growth. During the growing season, this sap flow determines: shoot elongation, movement of nutrients, berry ripening, and various other crucial physiological processes.

Considering this process of sap flow, we learn to prune responsively in a manner that guides the vines’ energy naturally rather than forcing it.

The Workshop

Thanks to the efforts of leading facilitator Sebastian Traviesa from Sunridge Nurseries, a pruning workshop was organized in early March in the Columbia River Gorge to address these techniques of conscious pruning based on sap flow.

The event’s teaching was led by master pruner Luca Orselli of Simonit & Sirch and Vine Master Pruning Academy, and began in the Hood River Hotel with an educational presentation. Through an analysis of dissected grape vines, Orselli drew attention to the consequences of improper pruning methods leading to die back and poor vine health.

To inspire a more innovative approach to pruning, Orselli shared images and statistics from grape growers worldwide who have found success in this new process.

Luca Orselli points out buds and pruning sites based on sap flow at the Syncline Vineyards

Syncline Winery

For the first portion of the hands-on workshop, James and Poppy Mantone graciously hosted the class at their estate, the Syncline Winery in Lyle, Washington. With dramatic basalt cliffs looming over the vineyard, the cultivars were carefully selected to thrive in this high wind and lean soil terroir.

Floating seamlessly between English and Spanish instruction, Orselli addressed a number of different pruning scenarios on older, aged vines. The attendees closely huddled around the rows in the morning chill, noting the ingenious techniques in practice.

Pruning at Threemile

The final portion of the hands-on workshop was hosted at Threemile Vineyard as the afternoon warmed up and shadows stretched long across the hillsides. Viticulturist Joe Cushman welcomed the group, and humbly shared his successes thus far getting the vineyard planted across the vast, high-elevation terrain. With a couple of unpruned vines saved for the demonstration, Orselli jumped into young vine training via sap flow pruning based practices.

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Orselli explainging growth habits in Block G on Marsanne vines.

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Orselli and workshop attendees in Block C pruning Grenache vines.

Starting on the lower end of Block G with Grenache Blanc and then moving up to Block C to work on Sangiovese, the group was again captivated, now considering how these practices can be applied to young vines from the early stages of cultivation.

To learn more about these innovative pruning practices, see Simonit & Sirch and their new training program the Vine Master Pruning Academy. Again, we thank Sebastian Traviesa from Sunridge Nurseries for facilitating this event, and including Threemile Vineyard as we further establish our presence in the grape growing community.

Threemile_vineyard_pruning_workshop_guest

Videos from the Event

March 25, 2022

Soil Moisture

Defining Soil Moisture

All plants have 4 basic needs: soil, sun, air and water. As any great baker will tell you, it is the quality of your ingredients, used in proper amounts and ratios, that result in life’s best flavors.

Since water is absorbed by a plant’s roots through soil, it is pertinent in agriculture to understand how soil moisture affects growth. The concept of soil moisture is defined as the water that is bonded to soil particles. While we typically think of soil as a compact solid, it actually holds space for water capacity which allows for roots to grow and feed. On average, soil is made up of 50% solid material and 50% space, which is filled by either oxygen or water based on climate and irrigation. This careful balance of water and oxygen within soil creates a harmonious environment for a plant to thrive.

An imbalance of moisture within soil can cause flooding if water levels are too high, or wilting of plant life if it is too low.

Thus, soil moisture percentages determine if and when additional water is needed in agricultural production.

The consistent monitoring of soil moisture enables Threemile Vineyard to strategically minimize the use of irrigation during the growing season. Conscious of climate change, regulated irrigation in areas which require supplemental water for agriculture is essential to reduce water waste.

Soil Moisture at Threemile

Soil moisture levels are monitored, in real-time, throughout Threemile Vineyard to determine the exact amount and frequency of water needed during a precipitation deficit. As a young vineyard, these techniques will encourage and support root growth to a stage of development where they can access more available water. A mature root system will conceivably establish the means to water autonomy, thereby reducing the need for supplemental irrigation.

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Measuring Soil Moisture

At Threemile, there are six sentek soil probes actively tracking moisture levels, each measuring at a depth of four feet. At an increment of four inches, the probes have electrodes that make contact with the soil to measure conductivity. The water within the soil works like a conductor, indicating more water when more electrical current is present.

Viticulturist Joe Cushman monitors soil moisture levels year-round, and observes the patterns of soil moisture levels in each block.

“The two steepest blocks, B and J, are always the driest. They see a lot of wind, and high evapotranspiration on the hillside. Typically, blocks G and F have the highest soil moisture content due to the topography; drainage from the farm and surrounding hillsides passes through these blocks as well as sections of others. Block G requires a lot less supplemented water than other blocks”

For healthy vine cultivation in our terroir, we estimate that maintaining at least 32% soil moisture in the peak heat of the growing season is optimal. Our website offers a unique experience for all to track our soil moisture levels live at the vineyard. Check out the resource to see our data sets and enter:

username: 3mile password: vineyard

Sustainability in Irrigation

Compared to 2021, which was our driest and hottest year on record at the vineyard, soil moisture levels are sitting higher in 2022. On January 7th, the top 12 inches of soil had more moisture than at any point last year. While moisture levels did somewhat normalize in February, the top 12-16 inches are still holding more water than the overall average of soil moisture in February 2021.

With regular weather conditions, we are able to keep irrigation as low as 6 hours of watering every 7-10 days during the growing season. To keep the gallons per minute low, we water a single block at a time, keeping the pressure gentle on our water well. While we cannot entirely eliminate irrigation, the technical sophistication of our system equipment ensures watering practices are minimal and efficient.

Our vineyard philosophy is based on the idea of a symbiotic ecosystem with limited human intervention. With thoughtful irrigation, native flora and fauna, and high diversity plant life per square acre, Threemile collaborates with what nature has already provided.

The Future of Growth

The extension of roots and their associations within the vineyard ecology over time is vital to the grapevine. Not only does it create autonomy from supplemental water, it also becomes an expression of terroir. The time and aging that goes into a mature vine formation provides the character that builds wine’s distinguished flavor profiles. As our roots extend, the tastes of our grapes will reflect our unique terroir, unveiling the distinct flavors to come from Threemile Vineyard.

March 4, 2022

Vineyard Pruning

Vineyard Pruning Chapters

Chapter 1 – 1:29

Meet Joe Cushamn and his vineyard dog, Salvador. An Oregon native, with a degree in horticulture, Joe is essential to the Threemile Vineyard team as our esteemed viticulturist.

Chapter 2 – 2:42

Learn how pruning vines at the end of winter yields the best quality wine grapes.

Chapter 3 – 4:27

Observe the results of pruned vines in one of the completed vineyard blocks to see the benefits of seasonal pruning. Joe teaches some fundamental grape vine vocabulary including: shoots, buds, canes, cordons, spurs, and buds.

Chapter 4 – 6:33

Joe demonstrates cane pruning on young vines in the Chenin cultivar block.

Chapter 5 – 8:59

Cane pruning in the thicker sangiovese cultivar block.

Chapter 6 – 10:58

Joe illustrates spur pruning on syrah vines in block F. Learn about Threemile’s plans to experiment with pruning types to produce the best quality wine grapes for each cultivar. As a young vineyard, there are countless opportunities to experiment, observe, and modify our practices based on the collected results of our efforts.

October 20, 2020

Threemile Vineyard Introduction

January 20, 2019

Dispatch 1

A new vineyard has taken root in the Columbia Valley just outside of The Dalles, Oregon. Threemile Vineyard will rely on organic viticulture techniques and will deliver a unique and diverse set of cultivars to the Oregon landscape.

The vineyard and the Mitchell Wine Group were founded by Dave Brown. Together they engaged industry experts to analyze every acre of the terroir, terrain and climate to select varietals that would flourish. Due to the dry microclimate of the Columbia Valley’s southern tip, a state-of-the-art irrigation system was custom designed and built by Mitchell Lewis & Staver to give the viticulturist precise control over the timing and amount of water the vines receive. This high level of influence over the vines’ overall robustness will provide sustainable yields and premium quality of grapes for the finest wines in the world. Their portfolio will include Chenin Blanc, Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo, Mencia, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cab Franc, Mourvedre, Albarino, Clairette, Marsanne, Roussane, Grenache Blanc, and Cinsault.

Winter Breakthrough 2023

Harvest 2022

The 2022 fall harvest started at 6:15am on September 19th with the Albariño from block G, and concluded at 9:30am on October 20th with the Cabernet Sauvignon in block H.

Join Us – 2022 Harvest

Joe’s Harvest Summary

Fruit Sampling

Why do we sample grapes?

The Collection

The Results

May Familiarity Tasting

May 23rd, 2022, Threemile Vineyard hosts a wine tasting event with the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association.

The Event

Threemile Albariño

Pruning Workshop

On March 3rd, 2022, a master pruning workshop was hosted in the Columbia Gorge with a lecture at the Hood River Hotel and hands-on workshops at Syncline Winery and Threemile Vineyard. In attendance was a group of viticulturists and vineyard managers from the Columbia Gorge wine-growing area.

The Science of Pruning

The Workshop

Syncline Winery

Pruning at Threemile

Videos from the Event

Soil Moisture

Defining Soil Moisture

An imbalance of moisture within soil can cause flooding if water levels are too high, or wilting of plant life if it is too low.

Thus, soil moisture percentages determine if and when additional water is needed in agricultural production.

Soil Moisture at Threemile

Measuring Soil Moisture

Sustainability in Irrigation

The Future of Growth

Vineyard Pruning

Vineyard Pruning Chapters

Threemile Vineyard Introduction

Dispatch 1

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