Meanwhile, in California

[Jenise]

Au Bon Climat announced two days ago that their chardonnay and pinots were harvested. Earliest ever. By quite a bit.

Wow.

They're going to have to change their name.

[David M. Bueker]

Hardy Wallace harvested some Chenin the other day.

I assume they harvested because the acidity level was dropping perilously low. But were the grapes physically mature? I had a sparkling California wine many years ago that had been made from grapes harvested too early. It smelled and tasted of boiled cabbage. Dreadful.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

I assume they harvested because the acidity level was dropping perilously low. But were the grapes physically mature? I had a sparkling California wine many years ago that had been made from grapes harvested too early. It smelled and tasted of boiled cabbage. Dreadful.

-Paul W.

They didn't detail the numbers. But boiled cabbage--are you sure those weren't mercaptans?

[David M. Bueker]

I assume they harvested because the acidity level was dropping perilously low. But were the grapes physically mature? I had a sparkling California wine many years ago that had been made from grapes harvested too early. It smelled and tasted of boiled cabbage. Dreadful.

-Paul W.

Bud break was very early this year due to a warmer than normal stretch in late February and March. So the whole cycle got shifted. I suspect the grapes are ripe, and not lacking in acids, as the overall growing season across California, other than the start, has been quite pleasant. No real heat spikes.

Decidedly not mercaptans. It was very clearly sparkling wine made from immature grapes.

-Paul W.

A July harvest? Holy crap. I know it's been hot in the southern part of the state. Good news, I suppose, is that we haven't had nearly the heat up here. So your more northern regions should have a more normal season. But still.

[David M. Bueker]

A July harvest? Holy crap. I know it's been hot in the southern part of the state. Good news, I suppose, is that we haven't had nearly the heat up here. So your more northern regions should have a more normal season. But still.

Again - bud break was exceptionally early due to much higher than normal temperatures in March. That has moved the entire season forward. It’s not due to mid-growing season heatwaves.

The temperatures do have some impact on ripening, Arrhenius equation and all that. I was out of the country during the heat wave, and had forgotten about it.

Tablas is forecasting their earliest ever harvest.

[David M. Bueker]

Both Morgan Twain Peterson (Bedrock) and Jason Haas (Tablas) have posted online regarding the exceptionally early bud break, and how that would shift the entire season while still maintaining sufficient hang time.

Good sized fire on the Sonoma Coast that really kicked up Wednesday night. 143 acres, so not giant, but a ton of smoke just west of all your favorite Sonoma vineyards. Definitely bad time of year, during an overall bad time for the wine industry.