This week marks the end of harvest in Napa Valley!  Fortunately, the weather remained nice throughout the second half of October, allowing grapes to mature and harvest to proceed at a reasonable pace after the frantic picking that resulted immediately following the mid October rains.  Shortly after the rains, all blocks that were either compromised from mold development or were close to ripeness were harvested rapidly, and the return of nice, dry weather allowed for those blocks with minimal issues to continue to ripen.

Unfortunately, some blocks didn’t make it to the level of maturity that would have been desired and winemakers were forced to harvest due to compromised fruit.  Significant rainfall from October 3rd through the 6th, followed by the warm drizzly day on the 10th, caused berries to swell and in some cases crack.  In sites with poor drainage or limited airflow (due to site and/or cultural practices) saw split berries and Botrytis development within a couple of days of the rains.  Many winemakers had to pick and sort through this fruit even though the grapes had not reached optimal maturity.  Optical sorters helped deal with processing more fruit than hand sorting lines are capable of in a limited time, and helped improve quality in these compromised lots.

Many blocks survived the storm intact, and although 2011 will not be marked as a very ripe vintage, many blocks matured nicely and will produce ripe, full bodied wines with nice structure and acidity.  Other blocks were intact but still did not reach Napa’s typical standards of maturity, and these blocks will produce elegant and structured wines with hints of herbaceous characters.  Hopefully, these wines will be appreciated by the growing community of critics that dislike Napa’s trend of a very ripe style of Cabernet.

Some winemakers left their growers in the lurch this year, both fairly and unfairly, by declining to accept their fruit.  If the grower did not accomplish acceptable yields and practices throughout the year and did not do their best to avoid damage and achieve ripeness, then it is understandable that the winery should not have to accept the fruit.  For growers who did their best, wineries should also do their best to accept the challenges and the vagaries of the vintage and make the best wine possible.  Perhaps some price renegotiations are called for, but only in the worst situations should fruit be rejected.  Both parties need to look at this as a long term deal and share the risk involved in this industry.

The threat of rain later this week has caused every sane winemaker to finish harvesting, even if they weren’t 100% happy with the level of ripeness.  Now, wineries are busy with pumpovers and pressing and getting the wine settled into barrels.  Growers are putting the finishing touches on erosion control and winterization including planting cover crops, and applying compost where needed.

I think there will be plenty of nice wines made in the 2011 vintage, especially from the top producers, and from producers who have blending flexibility as far as diverse fruit sources and also can declassify wines into lower tiered bottlings as needed.  It will be interesting to see if critics can sort through the vintage and find the gems, and if the critics of higher alcohol uber ripe wines appreciate the lower alcohol, less ripe wines made in this ‘Bordeaux-like’ vintage.

Napa Valley vintners have picked up the pace of harvest as lovely weather resumes after bouts of rain doused the valley earlier in the month.  Nice warm days and cool nights are helping to ripen the remaining later varietals and relieve the stress of the inclement weather.

However, high relative humidity and warm weather has lent itself to high disease pressure, and sites with poor drainage or airflow or damage prior to the rain are experiencing degradation from Botrytis and mold.  Winemakers are prioritizing the harvest of grapes that are the ripest or the most susceptible to Botrytis and mold. 

Sites with better drainage and air flow with sound fruit before the rain remain in good shape, and are benefiting from the recent warm days, although harvesting of all but the latest blocks should be on the schedule by now.

For those less fortunate growers, sugar accumulation has stalled and rot is becoming an increasing problem.  At this point, rot could have been mitigated in high pressure sites by sprays, careful leaf removal (damage to grapes during leaf removal may have worsened the problem in some sites), and some growers have used wind machines, leaf blowers, and the fans in sprayers to dry out vineyards after the rains or foggy mornings. 

Despite these efforts, there are a few sites that still have issues, and vineyards with damage need to be harvested before further degradation occurs.  Some growers with issues are making passes to thin damaged fruit before picking, and some are even shaking vines with the hopes that most of the damaged berries will fall off while healthy berries remain.  In some cases, winemakers are slowing down the sorting process to do their best to remove damaged fruit.  The new technology in vineyards is to use an expensive optical sorter (http://blog.vinestowine.com/2010/10/06/vintage-2010-seasonal-update-1062010.aspx) that removes berries that are misshapen or have poor color, and winemakers hope that this technology can be used to remove the random Botrycized berries this year. 

Although it is unusual for Napa Valley to have this type of disease pressure, especially in Cabernet, Bordeaux regularly experiences fall rains and these types of challenges.  We are relying on the experiences of our French colleagues to determine what techniques are appropriate to extract the best out of these grapes, while minimizing the negative impact of rot and underripe characters.  The techniques employed depend on the winemaker preference, the varietal, and the style and price point of the wine.

Techniques on the drawing board include using concentrated wine grape juice to increase sugar content (although an increase in alcohol may lead to more extraction which may not be desirable with less ripe fruit), the use of oak in fermenters or oak fermenters to soften tannin in less ripe fruit, and the use of technology such as reverse osmosis or flash détante.  Shorter macerations, and other less extractive techniques such as lower temperature fermentations and fewer pumpovers are also being considered.

Overall, the vintage is lending itself to lower sugar accumulation, higher acids, and top wines will have ripe flavors with great structure at lower alcohols.  It is important for wine lovers and aficionados to understand that every vintage is unique and special for its own attributes, and hopefully this vintage will be appreciated for California wines made in a more Bordeaux-like style and wine lovers who have long critiqued Napa for making uber-ripe wines will appreciate the 2011 vintage.  

Significant rain affected Napa Valley last week with showers lingering through Monday in the valley.  Areas in south Napa, such as Carneros, received about an inch of rain, whereas areas in the north of the valley and the hillsides received about three inches.  This has unfortunately stalled ripening in all vineyards, and has caused mold issues to develop in certain vineyards.  Fortunately, a return of lovely weather has calmed the nerves of Napa Valley vintners as harvest resumes at a heightened pace.

Chardonnay vineyards were the most affected by the rains with widespread Botrytis and mold.  Even vineyards that had sprayed for Botrytis protection were not immune to some level of rot due to tight clusters, thin skins, and the overall susceptibility of Chardonnay to Botrytis.  The best winemakers have chosen to sort the Chardonnay which may have normally gone directly to press.  Fortunately, the Chardonnay that wasn’t picked before the rain was close to being picked, and most of the Chardonnay in Napa will be picked by this weekend. 

Growers that had opened their canopies just enough for air flow and sunlight to dapple the fruit experienced less rot and mold than other growers.  Growers that had exposed the fruit too much and caused shrivel and sunburn, and growers that had left too much leaf coverage with not enough light and air flow to dry the fruit out, both experienced more molds and rot.   As always, growers need balance, in this case a balance between enough exposure of the fruit for sunlight and air flow to allow for healthy, uniform ripening, but not too much exposure to cause shrivel compromising the fruit making it more susceptible to rot or mold in the event of rain. 

Most of the light crops of Pinot noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay are already harvested in Napa, but we are just beginning to harvest the Bordeaux varieties, which are yielding more than expected and close to average yields, especially since grapes are plump and shrivel is minimal.  Although these varieties tend to have looser clusters and less risk of Botrytis, there still is a risk for Botrytis developing.  Most growers have chosen to remove leaves aggressively around the clusters.  The thought is that at this point in the season, it is unlikely that we will have a significant enough heat wave to damage fruit especially since we have shorter days, but that any additional sunlight will be beneficial to help dry fruit out to reduce mold risk and enhance ripening especially through the loss of green flavors.  Some growers that may have damaged fruit or still have two or more weeks left before achieving ripeness should consider treating for Botrytis. 

This is a year to be thankful for lighter crops as they do ripen quickly when exposed to nicer weather like today’s.  It is also a year when meticulous and balanced work in the vineyard pays off.  Harvest has resumed at a rapid pace, with many of the earlier Bordeaux lots getting harvested as this week comes to an end.  Next week will be a frantic week in Napa as the push continues to get the grapes into the winery before the weather turns again.

Cheers,

Remi Cohen, Vines to Wine

The pace of harvest in Napa Valley has really picked up with the recent nice weather and forecasters threatening rain for next week.  The weather has actually been blissful with nice warm days for most of the past ten days. Much of Napa’s Sauvignon Blanc has been harvested, as has a significant amount of Pinot noir. 

The Sauvignon Blanc yields are low, but slightly higher than some people had expected.  The chemistry has been ideal and so have the lovely flavors which have finally turned from green apple and pear profiles to more melon and tropical flavors. 

The Pinot noir yields are even lower than expected, tragically low for people who are making ends meet with their Pinot noir vineyards.  There has been some loss due to the recent heat, but overall yields have been reduced due to prior bad weather during bloom.  However, the quality looks incredible.  The berries are tiny, flavors are mature and concentrated, seed count is low, and seeds are brown and mature, and all of this has occurred at lower sugar levels and slightly higher acids than normal so we can expect elegant and balanced wines.

Earlier lots of Chardonnay have also been harvested, but much of the Chardonnay remains on the vines due to high acids and low Brix.  Chardonnay blocks experiencing rains will be at risk of developing molds such as Botrytis due to their tight cluster structure.  In blocks prone to Botrytis, growers may want to remove extra leaves to allow for better airflow and quicker drying, and may even want to consider a preventative spray.  (The picture above shows a Sauvignon Blanc vineyard that we leafed about a week ago to allow some extra sunlight to finish ripening and to allow for easier picking.)

The earliest lots of Bordeaux varieties are being picked this week too.  Some Merlot, Malbec, and a little bit of Cabernet is ready.  Similar to the Pinot noir, the Bordeaux varieties are showing nice flavors at lower Brix, but many still have some herbaceous characters.  Some winemakers are choosing to harvest earlier than they may normally want to due to the threat of pending rain; others are choosing to let their earliest lots hang longer in the hopes that they will be the ripe component of blends as later blocks may not get that ripe in this late vintage.  Who knows which strategy is best? Probably a combination is a good idea.

Overall canopies are healthy, and the vineyards look amazing.  The main concern is getting the grapes to finish ripening sooner than later.  I recommend leafing in later blocks that are still weeks away from harvest.  It was good to have left some leaf protection earlier in the season, but now that the risk of a heat wave is minimal, and weather may be turning cooler, it is a good time to get some sunlight directly on these clusters. 

The other main concern is how condensed the rest of this harvest is going to be.  Cool and possibly wet weather next week will delay the harvest of the remaining fruit, and once the warm weather returns, it will be a scramble to get everything harvested at once.  Hopefully wineries have enough space and there is enough labor to get it all done!

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for these forecasted rain events to be minimal or non-existent, and for nice weather to return soon after since we have the possibility for a high quality vintage.  Let’s bring it in!

Harvest has gotten off to a slow start in Napa Valley.  Most of this season’s weather has been defined by competition between a trough off the coast of northern California and a ridge of warm weather to the east.  The trough has been winning, keeping our mornings foggy and afternoon temperatures cool with breezes.  At this point, 2011 is the latest harvest many people in Napa Valley have experienced.

The sparkling wine harvest, where grapes are harvested at high acid and low sugars (18-22 Brix), is in full swing.  Earlier lots of Pinot noir for still wine are starting to trickle in, as are lots of Sauvignon Blanc from warmer regions within Napa Valley.

Although 2011 began as a challenging vintage, the vineyards look amazing right now.  Yields are low, and canopies are healthy.  Early indications are that flavors are good at lower sugar levels, which should translate to a lower alcohol year.  We are also seeing earlier seed browning and maturation which should lead to softer, more mature tannins in the wine.

Next week, we should see a lot of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot noir get harvested.  The earlier lots of Merlot and Malbec in warmer regions of Napa Valley are not far behind.  Chardonnay is going to be later this year, with most of the harvest in October.  Cabernet Sauvignon is late too, and even many early blocks are looking at a mid-October harvest estimated date.  Mountain Cabernet and cool climate Syrah are riskiest at this point, with a late October or early November forecasted harvest date.

The weather forecasters are expecting a strengthening of the ridge and a little warming for next week.  We could really use it.  Moderate temperatures at or slightly above normal through October could make for an epic vintage.  Let’s hope for a nice Indian Summer!

A continuation of moderate weather and a lighter crop has allowed for a nice, uniform progression of veraison in Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley.  However, the weather has been so moderate that ripeness is tracking three to four weeks behind an ‘average’ year, and even a week or so behind last year’s late harvest. 

Early blocks of Chardonnay, Merlot, and Malbec are not far behind, with some blocks even close to 20 Brix.  All of the varieties being so close in maturity coupled with the delayed onset of harvest means that harvest is going to be very compressed this year, making for an insane second half of September and October!  The light crop looks to have a very high quality potential, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for the moderate weather to continue, hopefully with some tempered warming, and no early rains or frost events this year.

As we finish the green drop in the later sites, which is going to be critical to achieve uniformity of ripeness, and accelerate ripening in the later blocks, we can turn our attention to the fall activities in preparation of the winter. Now is the time to order cover crop seeds for planting, and materials such as straw bales and straw wattling for erosion control on hillside sites.  It is also a good time to apply compost to blocks with weak areas or with low organic matter in the soil.  Call me if you want any advice on these fall activities!  Cheers!

The choice of when to harvest a particular block is influenced by many factors including wine style and the desired alcohol content in the wine, grape variety, rootstock, and site.   Seasonal specific factors such as heat waves, frost events, and rain also affect the decision-making process, as do viticultural practices such as irrigation and canopy management.

As we’ve discussed before, grape berries experience two phases of growth after set.  The first phase is composed of cellular division when the berries are determining their physical size.  Then they experience a ‘lag phase’ of minimal growth, before they begin the second phase of their growth which is characterized by cellular expansion.  The second phase of growth begins with veraison, the onset of ripening, when xylem flow ceases and transport in and out of the berry occurs through the phloem. 

It is helpful to track the key phenological stages of the vineyard by block.  I usually record the dates of 50% budbreak, 50% bloom, and 50% veraison in each block every year.  Over the years of working with a block, you can accumulate data on the average number of days between budbreak and harvest, bloom and harvest, and veraison and harvest.  This can help to get a prediction of the order in which your blocks will be harvest and the approximate timing of harvest, which helps immensely with harvest planning.  It is also recommended to correlate the phenological stages with degree days rather than or in addition to dates, and that is also very useful.

It should be a general goal to harvest grapes before ripening desists, phloem transport arrests, and the grapes deteriorate.  In order to determine when this will be, it is imperative to monitor key indicators in the vineyard starting about 3 weeks before the anticipated harvest.  Using an appropriate sample size based on block size and variability, I recommend taking samples of clusters (rather than berries for a more complete picture).  Twenty to forty clusters from throughout each block is usually adequate unless the block is very large or there is a high degree of variability. 

These clusters should be weighed as berry weight can be a useful indicator.  A decline in berry weight shows a possible sign of fruit deterioration, and continued increase shows that maximum maturity has not been reached.  The clusters are then crushed, and Brix, pH, and TA are measured.  Anthocyanin and total phenols can also be helpful, especially if you have historic data that you can use as a comparison. 

This data can help determine when to look more closely at the blocks, as you get close to a Brix and pH level that would yield the desired alcohol levels, ripeness, and acid balance.  But spending time in the vineyards will be the most important step in determining the harvest date.  In the vineyard, you will be able to look at the overall health of the canopy (light leaf yellowing can indicate vines are beginning to shut down and severe leaf loss will indicate that not much more maturation can be expected), the turgidity of the berries (slight dimpling is desirable in many red grapes but serious raisining is not), and the level of browning of the seeds (browner, crunchier seeds are more desirable than bitter green seeds).  Also, you can see if the color of the skins is starting to bleed into the pulp of the berry which is a good indicator of ripeness.  Finally, you can taste for the presence of immature flavors such as methoxy-pyrazines or the appearance of overripe flavors such as prune and raisin flavors.  Picking with a minimum of green and/or overripe flavors may be a goal depending on the style of the wines.

As you can tell there is no golden rule to determine ripeness, and a lot is based on the winemaker’s goals and experiences.  Plus, there are other factors to consider such as labor availability, seasonal conditions such as rainfall, frost, and heat wave predictions, tank space limitations, and contract limitations.  Some grape contracts may have Brix targets, minimums, and maximums, and general quality clauses that may affect this decision.  The most important thing is to use the sampling to guide you to spend time in the vineyard, and then spending a significant amount of time in the site close to harvest so you can make this important judgment call based on your observations in conjunction with the data and the weather forecast!  Good luck!

Low yields, low vigor rootstocks, deficit irrigation, and achieving ripeness through long hang times are all critical components in making modern, high-quality Napa Valley Cabernet. However, with lower vigor vines, low yields, and minimal irrigation, it can be difficult to achieve the longer hang times because sugar accumulation may outpace phenolic development and other components of maturation.   Additionally, these conditions set the stage for the grapes to be susceptible to sunburn and/or shrivel, especially if Mother Nature delivers a heat wave toward the end of the ripening season.

Timely late season irrigations can be used to slow sugar accumulation and balance the ripening progress to be more in line with other maturity indicators such as seed browning, tannin maturation, and phenolic development in general.  They can also help prevent dessication and shrivel during a heat wave.  However, it is not a fail-safe option.

That is why growers of high end Cabernet have trended towards less manipulation of the canopy surrounding the fruit. Growers no longer strip the leaves surrounding the fruit, and rather tend to remove interior lateral growth and a few center leaves, allowing for dappled sunlight but the protection of a leaf layer.

Sometimes this protection is not enough, and also it is impossible for every cluster to have its leaf in the best place to protect it from excessive sun exposure. So, a few elite producers of Cabernet, including Cliff Lede Vineyards in Yountville and Merryvale Vineyards in St. Helena, have taken a new approach and are installing strips of shade cloth along the fruiting area, especially in top blocks or hillside vineyards particularly exposed to the intense afternoon sun.  The cloth can be used to add a uniform layer of light shade, but still allow for air flow and diffuse light into the area surrounding the fruit.

The best way to install the cloth is to cut it into strips about 24-30” wide, and apply it in loose but secured strips across the susceptible side of the canopy surrounding the fruiting wire.  You can use clips and/or ties and also take advantage of the trellis you already have, if possible.  It is better to cover only one side, and not to cover the entire canopy, allowing for better sunlight and airflow and for most of the leaves to move freely in the wind.  If you do apply to both sides, it is still better to apply in strips rather than covering the entire vine canopy. 

By applying in smaller strips rather than over the canopy, you can tie the strips to the drip hose during the off season and there is no need to remove the cloth from the vineyard and re-apply each year (costly) and find storage (rare).  Plus you can lift the cloth up and down throughout the season, for example, if you need some ripening and the forecast is for cool weather, you may choose to lift the strips, and then place them back down before any forecasted heat.  Be careful!

Sometimes shade cloth can be used for bird or turkey protection too, but you will most likely need to apply to both sides, and you may need a tighter grid or tougher net. 

Check out this video of the shade cloth installation at Cliff Lede Vineyards:

Remi Cohen of Vines to Wine in Napa Valley discussed the use of shade cloth in vineyards, along with a demonstration of shade cloth installation.