2006 Harvest Comes to an End

Last Thursday, it poured in the Bay Area. The first heavy rain of the season brought the 2006 grape harvest to an unofficial end. If farmers had not yet brought in their grapes as of last Thursday, the grapes now probably have too much rot to use in wine.

We already had over a half inch of unseasonably early rain in October. The early precipitation resulted in botrytis forming in some clusters of grapes. (Botrytis, also known as the Noble Rot, is good for making dessert wine, but not dry table wine.) The rot caused a good number of farmers to lose some of their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay crops.

While official figures will not be in for awhile, it appears that this year's harvest was smaller than 2005's record breaking yield. Nevertheless, last year's wine glut caused some farmers, particularly those growing Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, to be unable to find a market for their grapes. Or, if they did find buyers, the prices the farmers received were lower than they wanted.

Even though the harvest is over, wine country is still full of hustle and bustle. Grape juice is fermenting. Fermented juice is being transferred to barrels for aging. So the late fall remains a good time to visit wine country. The tasting room crowds disappear and the staff has more time to talk with you about the wine they are pouring for you.

If you would like to take a Napa or Sonoma private tour, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.