CALIFORNIA WINE 2018 HARVEST REPORT slow and steady growing season brings excellent quality across the state 2017-18 EDITION san francisco – Following a long growing season A few regions, including Temecula, Paso Robles and characterized by moderate temperatures throughout the San Diego County, experienced issues with heat spikes, spring and summer, California’s 2018 harvest played out but most reported even temperatures throughout the like a dream for winegrowers in regions across the state. season with little-to-no frost damage. As the season drew Harvest began anywhere from 10 days to three weeks to a close, vintners braced for a compacted harvest of later than in 2017, and vintners are reporting exceptional later-ripening varieties in early October. Vintners reported quality, thanks to consistent growing conditions and cooler abundant yields in line with the United States Department temperatures, which allowed the grapes to mature slowly. of Agriculture’s August forecast of 4.1 million tons in 2018, up 2% from 2017, and above the historical average of 3.9 million tons. Overall, vintners are enthusiastic about both (Above) Experienced vineyard crews are key to a successful winegrape harvest. the quality and quantity of the 2018 vintage. 2 CALIFORNIA WINE 2018 HARVEST REPORT The Growing Season “The mild summer weather allowed fruit to mature slowly without heat stress, and canopies are looking healthy,” said John Killebrew, winemaker for Z. Alexander Brown winery in Napa. “Crop levels looked good and quality appears very high, with balanced sugar, acid and tannin levels.” Like many wineries in the North Coast region, Napa’s Black Stallion Estate Winery began picking two weeks later than in 2017. “Fortunately, compared to previous years, we did not see any major heat waves in the early part of harvest, so the fruit ripened evenly and stress-free,” said winemaker Ralf Holdenried. Top-selling red wines by volume are Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Blends, Pinot Noir and Merlot, according to Nielsen-measured U.S. off-premise sales. Dennis Cakebread, chairman and senior vice president of sales and marketing for In Lodi, vintners began picking old-vine “ YIELDS ARE UP Cakebread Cellars in Rutherford, Napa Valley, Zinfandel mid-September. “This year we’ve reported normal to above-average yields and seen a later bud break, set and veraison, AND QUALITY IS high-quality fruit. “We’re really happy with followed by a hot July and a cool August,” said EXCELLENT, THANKS the grapes,” he said. “They have good flavor Stuart Spencer of St. Amant Winery. “The and balance.” cool temperatures in mid- to late-September TO THE MODERATE led to gradual sugar accumulation and good Mark Burningham, director of grower TEMPERATURES AND flavor development. In general, we saw better relations for Benziger Family Winery in Glen DRY CONDITIONS.” flavors at lower sugars and the quality looks Ellen, Sonoma County, is equally optimistic great.” — MARK BURNINGHAM, about the 2018 vintage. “This is one of BENZIGER FAMILY WINERY those years where everyone is happy,” he Despite ongoing challenges with drought said. “Yields are up and quality is excellent, in Santa Barbara County, vintners reported a thanks to the moderate temperatures and dry healthy crop for 2018. “The vines produced a conditions.” big, bountiful crop that we began harvesting in mid-September,” said Karen Steinwachs “It was a compacted harvest for the of Buttonwood Winery & Vineyard in Cabernet Sauvignon, coming in right on top Solvang. “The hottest July on record led to of the large crop of Chardonnay, so tank space cool temperatures in August, continuing into was at a premium,” he continued. “Labor was September. Cold, crisp evenings kept our tight, but we managed it by scheduling far in legendary Santa Barbara County acidity in the advance.” grapes, and the flavors are simply divine.” 3 CALIFORNIA WINE 2018 HARVEST REPORT Wine Region Reports AMADOR COUNTY cooled down in time to allow the LIVERMORE VALLEY grapes some extra hang time. Harvest Overall, 2018 was a very good year for began two to three weeks later than The 2018 year is shaping up to be Amador County winegrowers. Harvest normal, and yields are slightly higher great for the Livermore Valley. Bud began around 10 days later than than average despite bird issues at break occurred later than normal normal, after an even growing season some ranches. Vintners are reporting and flowering was prolonged due with no frost damage and plenty of good color in the grapes with slowly to a wet, cold spring. Temperatures heat during veraison. Set was good on developing flavors, and good acid and hovered in the 90s for most of the all of the region’s major varieties, with pH levels. summer, followed by refreshing, Tempranillo experiencing some issues. cool temperatures in August and Vintners are expecting a larger than LAKE COUNTY September that allowed for slower average crop, with good color and maturation, flavor development and extraction. On a 10-point scale, fruit Harvest 2018 got underway about a longer hang time. Chardonnay has quality looks to be an 8. week later than last year and started excellent quality with great acidity to wind down by mid-October. By and flavors. Syrah ripened at a lower CALAVERAS COUNTY late September, the region’s warm Brix than usual and is showing summer temperatures gave way to complex flavors. Vintners were A later than normal harvest, mild fall temperatures, which allowed picking Cabernet Sauvignon into late higher yields and good quality fruit for longer hang time. With the onset October. Most vineyards reported characterize the 2018 growing season. of wildland fires in late July, growers yields about 10% higher than in 2017, The region experienced a cool, wet began working closely with winery with fruit showing great flavors and spring, with some shatter issues for partners on testing, analysis and acidity levels. Grenache. A period of mild days micro-fermentations, and adjusting and cool nights was followed by a viticultural and harvest practices LODI prolonged heat spell, but temperatures accordingly to minimize any impact to the grapes and wine. Because The season got off to a slow start of Lake County’s vast, diverse and in Lodi, with later than normal mountainous terrain, assessments are timing for bud break, flowering and being conducted on a vineyard-by- veraison. A moderate spring, very vineyard, varietal-by-varietal basis. warm July temperatures, followed While growers noted a larger crop by a cool August allowed for gradual than the prior year, sugars and acids sugar accumulation. Moderate are well-balanced, leading growers September conditions, allowed and vintners to be optimistic of fruit the grapes to ripen slowly. Yields quality. Growers remain dedicated to appear to be average with younger maintaining the region’s reputation of vineyards having larger crops and delivering high-quality grapes. older vineyards having lighter ones. All the region’s major varieties fared well, despite the ongoing challenges “ THE FLAVORS ARE of hand-picking the old vines. Quality across the board looks good, and SIMPLY DIVINE” Map of vintners are expecting fresh wines — KAREN STEINWACHS, California with nice acidity and good balance for Winegrowing BUTTONWOOD WINERY & Regions VINEYARD 2018. 4 CALIFORNIA WINE 2018 HARVEST REPORT MADERA COUNTY MONTEREY COUNTY NAPA VALLEY Triple-digit temperatures and the For the first time since 2012, growers Growers reported “beautiful, steady slow development of physiological experienced a return to California’s conditions” for the 2018 growing maturity challenged Madera normally cool, coastal climate and season and harvest. Rain was winegrowers this year. The season a long, drawn-out harvest season. abundant in February, and endless began with a mild winter and spring Mild, cool temperatures in winter days of sunshine followed with the with little rainfall and a late bud and spring extended the period buds emerging from the dormant break. This was followed by a high for bloom and fruit set, leading to vines. Vines flowered uniformly, number of consecutive days over 100 sleepless nights for growers ready paving the way for even cluster degrees. Yields were average, due to to protect vines from any frost. development. The first picks of growers’ pruning practices, such as Despite this worry, there were no Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot shoot and bunch thinning to help issues with fruit set. Because of the Meunier began in mid-August. grapes reach maturity. Mediterranean coolness, many predicted a light crop Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay varieties fared well in the warm in early summer, but as the hang were harvested without exposure growing conditions. Overall, the time extended, they changed their to heat spikes or rain. Vintners grapes showed light color and good assessments to an average-sized experienced increased activity in flavors. crop. Quality for both Chardonnay October, as red varieties came in. and Pinot Noir is exceptional, with Cabernet Sauvignon benefitted from MENDOCINO COUNTY solid acid levels and great phenolic warm days and cool nights, resulting development. Vintners are expecting a in extended hang time. Growers are Winegrowers are reporting very good high-quality year. reporting strong yields compared to quality for the 2018 vintage, with last year, along with complex flavors larger than normal yields. Bud break and excellent quality. and flowering happened late this year, and conditions in May were windy and cool. There was a little frost in Potter Valley and Redwood Valley, but most regions were not impacted. Summer temperatures climbed to more than 100 degrees, but then cooled down in time for the harvest. The weather during harvest was ideal with warm moderate days and cool nights. Overall, the region’s major varieties fared well with good sugar maturity. Acidity levels were up from last year and pH levels were down. The fruit is showing ripe flavors and vintners are expecting a nice vintage that will showcase Mendocino’s potential for high quality wine.