Local winemakers welcome this week’s rain

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Local wine makers in the area are pleased about this week's rainfall in the Santa Maria Valley.

They said it's much needed after a mostly dry winter.

While wine makers have been patiently waiting for more rainfall in the area, heir hopes had dried up until today.

“ The day for us any water at this point is a positive. It won’t damage is per say but it will help us Use less irrigation which of course is Fundamentally a big help for us," said wine maker Dieter Cronje with Presquile.

Cronje said more rainfall means growers don’t have to put so much irrigation water through their system.

He said the rain is also helpful because of the kind of soil we have in the Santa Maria area which is very sandy.

“Especially at Presquile so the water drains into the sand very quickly and it’s not a bad thing or good thing but it’s just the reality of the situation so if we can ever get rain which is free water in that sense to add back into the soil again it’s a big help," Cronje said.

Growers at Riverbench Vineyard said more rainfall will cleans the soil and get the growing season off to a great start.

"It’s been something we’ve been waiting for we had a very dry January and February so we’ve been optimistic that March and April will bring us an abundance of rain. It’s great for the vines the soil the aquifers so we’re looking forward to it," said Jim Stollberg with Riverbench Vineyard.

Stollberg said he would have been concerned if it weren’t for this week’s rain.

"Long-term the soil health is a huge benefit from the rain water so that is something we will have to adjust for also in terms of how we apply the nutrients and how we do our cultivation practices," Stollberg said.

Both Stollberg and Cronje have irrigation systems in place.

But they believe the natural rain is always better for their crops.

Stollberg added that the rain is not only good for the vineyards but also for all the other crops grown in this region.