This year's grape harvest has manifested the impact of varying weather on the local winemaking industry, as many growers are reporting lower quantities due to frosting.
Although the end result might be higher prices for your favorite wines in a couple of years, some winemakers also touted how the crop should produce better-tasting grapes, especially the Pinot variety common to San Benito County.
The local drop in production, though, is shared across California with many winemaking and vintner organizations reporting the same trend. Some state estimates indicate a 20 percent decrease from last year and one-third fewer grapes than in 2005.
"In San Benito County, we had the same problem as everywhere else in California - terrible weather during the flowering season," said Steve Pessagno, owner of Pessagno Winery.
He noted that from April to May, cold weather and overcast skies created perfect conditions for frost.
"My notebook reads, 'April 12 to 16, coldest string of five days in the last 70 years.'"
The result is demonstrated in Pessagno's Syrah fields, where he obtained one ton of grapes per acre - about a third of a normal year's harvest. He wasn't the only one reporting such a stunning decline, as Rob Leve, a vineyard manager at Gimelli Wineries, gave a similar estimate.
"And that gives winemakers a difficult time meeting demand or making a living with that type of yield," Pessagno said.
Josh Jensen, owner and winemaker at Calera Winery, had vineyards yielding as little as half a ton per acre where they usually produce around twelve times that in a good year.
"We are seeing a very small harvest because we were absolutely slammed disastrously by the frosts during April," he said.
Allessio Carli, Pietra Santa's winemaker, also reported a low-production harvest and said he hadn't seen frost - before 2008 - in his 18 years there.
Carli, though, pointed out that cold weather wasn't the only condition wineries had to worry about as many of them harvested last week.
Aside from crop size, last week's scorching heat also prompted that relatively early start to the San Benito County harvest, growers said.
"We started in a rush because of the hot spell last week," said Carli, who added that the problem is compounded by the fact that many growers cut back leaves during the cold weather to expose grapes to more sunlight.
Those growers, if they wait, risk grapes being overheated.
"We have to harvest quickly," Carli continued, "because what happens is, the heat gives you high sugar, and that means high alcohol, and that can make juice difficult to ferment."
Despite crop, growers
tout high quality
The news is not entirely bleak, however, as local winemakers agree on something else. Quality appears high, particularly with Pinot grapes, which are common in San Benito County.
According to Pessagno this is because the grapes had a good "set" period.
"Grapes are self pollinating," he explained. "They have four seeds, and the number that are pollinated determine the size of the grape."
Pessagno said this year's Pinot Noir grapes were fairly uniformly two and three seeded, which provides an ideal surface-to-volume ratio between the grape's skin and juice.
"Pinot should have a phenomenal year," he said, adding that Syrah grapes look promising as well.
Jenson said as his winery had been harvesting all last week, they hadn't "seen anything we don't like in what we do have."
He also pointed out that a relatively rare variety produced by Calera has him particularly excited.
"Our viognier is looking great," he said, referring to a wine made from a French grape thought to be among the most aromatic in the world.
Carli noted some other grapes at Pietra Santa that look to have high quality.
"Our Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes are just delicious," he said, adding that Pietra will have all their grapes in on time despite challenges from the weather, and that the wine produced will be excellent.
Thanks to geographical location, meanwhile, Enz Winery's owner and winemaker said his harvest is "good so far" and that it's slightly under average in size - but actually due to drought conditions.
"Our harvest is good so far, and we are halfway through," said Robert Enz. "We weren't affected by the frost because of where we are."
But Enz is the enviable exception, yet he summed up the feeling among many winemakers here.
"We have seen challenges and less-than-average yield," he said, "but the chemistry and condition of the grapes are what they should be, and we are looking forward to a great winemaking year."
Jeff Gatlin Jeff Gatlin is a staff writer at The Hollister Free Lance. You can call him at (831) 637-5566 or send him an email.
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