The 2009 Sonoma County winegrape harvest is more than 60-70 percent complete. With the warm days and cool nights, the grapes are maturing nicely with good sugars and terrific flavors. Overall, Grower Duff Bevill who farms grapes in Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley, believes that the harvest is moving right along and “we still feel the quality is outstanding in all varietals picked so far.”
Here is a round-up of what several growers reported this week:
Alexander Valley: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are finished. According to Jim Murphy and Duff Bevill, Cabernet, Merlot and Malbec still need some more time and they are hoping that the weather holds out and there isn’t rain. Pete Opatz is working on Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
Dry Creek Valley: Avtar Sandhu reports he has better than expected tonnage of Cabernet Sauvignon and will be wrapping up the balance of his harvest by the end of this week. Duff Bevill will continue to pick Merlot and Zinfandel this week and Malbec will be finished today. His Cabernet Sauvignon is just about ready.
Russian River Valley: John Balletto continues to pick Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Duff Bevill is finishing up the last Chardonnay block this week. He reports that the fruit made it through the light rain last month with no Botrytis at all and great flavors. Pete Opatz is harvesting Zinfandel.
Sonoma Coast and Carneros: Steve Sangiacomo is still harvesting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Carneros and just beginning those varietals in the Sonoma Coast. Pete Opatz is also still harvesting Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Merlot and “can’t believe Pinot is still out there.”
Marin: Mark Pasternak reports he is picking Pinot Noir and a few vineyards will not be ready until next week. Reisling will also be done this week while Chardonnay and Gewurtztraminer is still ripening. “Quality continues to be excellent.”
Report by Larry Levine, Sonoma County Winegrape Commission.
