Harvest is nearing it’s end and we are all ready for it to be done. In terms of weather harvest was a continuation of the entire growing season, we began picking September 11 a full two weeks earlier than ever before in hot and dusty conditions. As we watched the fruit ripen there was a concern that with higher than normal temperatures the sugar would rise too quickly, the acid would fall out, pH would rise and winemakers would have their heads explode. From a simple wine drinkers point of view I thought we might have high alcohol wines that had a “hole” in the middle palate. However, the flavors developed in the grapes and it appears the winemakers heads will remain intact as they are all predicting wonderful wines. Generally speaking , yields within the industry were higher than normal. At FHV most of our pinot came in at 3-3.25 tons per acre perhaps slightly more than normal, but we believe the wines will reflect the intensity of color and character commonly found in FHV wines. Total tons harvested will be about 235 down slightly from 2013. We were fortunate to have our daughter McKenzie and daughter in law, Katie join us at harvest along with two new grandchildren. The harvest crew managed by Dustin and Carlos did a fantastic job and we were able to get out of the vineyard by late morning or early afternoon, thereby by preserving low fruit temperature which is desirable in the initial fermentation process. I hope you all enjoy the vintage, it should be exceptional. Dan
a beautiful September morning when we were harvesting St. Innocent’s Chardonnay. The fruit was gorgeous, as was the sunrise and weather.
