September 24, 2003
In the Thick of HarvestChrystal Seals of Palmina and Brewer-Clifton reports that harvest 2003 was particularly early. The yields are very small, but quality is particularly good. When this column hits the streets, all the pinot noir for Brewer-Clifton and the Italian white varietals for Palmina should be picked.
Brad Lowman, wine geek, computer geek, computer genius, Disney consultant, and good friend got the bug to make wine and made Santa Barbara County pinot noir from Cargasacchi fruit in 2002. The wine will be bottled in November.
He told me the recent mini heat spells have compacted the picking. A lot of stuff is ripening at the same time.
Brad is helping at Tantara in Bien Nacido Vineyard east of Santa Maria where he is producing his own wine. He told me all the fruit from Paso Robles-sangiovese, syrah and merlot-is in. He added that all of the Santa Barbara County fruit has been picked except for some syrah from Bien Nacido Vineyard.
He started picking some pinot noir up in Monterey County last weekend where he told me "harvest is more usual this year."
Benjamin Silver reminded me that bud break was "super early" this year, that we had bad weather in May-wind and fog-which caused shatter. The result has been very low yields.
Benjamin added that varieties that flower early like pinot noir have unusually low yields; on the other hand, varieties that flowered later like the Bordeaux reds, and syrah-depending on the location of the vineyard-are showing more usual yields.
Because of the recent heat spell, later ripening varieties such as syrah and sangiovese are coming in early, compressing the harvest. With the heat, "the sugars are jumping," Benjamin told me, "so you have to wait for the flavors to develop."
Grower Norman Huber who grows pinot noir, chardonnay and dornfelder, a red German variety, out near Lompoc, echoes the others. He told me all his pinot has been harvested, with about half ton-to-the-acre yields, with very good quality.
Fun in Paso Robles
The wineries of Paso Robles present a "Harvest Wine Tour" October 17-19 with a plethora or events. For more information visit their website, www.pasowine.com or phone (805) 239-8463.
Bon appetit!
Times wine columnist, Bob Senn, lives in the Los Alamos Valley and owns the Los Olivos Wine & Spirits Emporium.
