Rhone Varietal Harvest Bears Fruit
- By CWF Sources
- Published 12/1/2005
- News
(Ukiah, Calif.) – In contrast to reports about the large 2005 grape crop in California, a few Rhone Ranger winery members, from Idaho to Paso Robles, report that their yields were lower this year than last.
While some of those lower yields can be attributed to shatter, Tracey Brandt from A Donkey and Goat Winery said that their “Mendocino County Syrah was off by 50% this year, not just because of weather, but because a bear ate over a half ton of the fruit…” Winemaker David Lake in Washington has the same problem, and noted that the vineyard block “looked as if it had been mechanically harvested. Fortunately, the bears had not seen the movie Sideways and showed a strong preference for Merlot!”
Also in Washington State, Wilridge Winery winemaker Paul Beveridge noted that yields were down “20% to 30%, but flavor concentration is great.” Hogue Cellars director of winemaking agreed, noting that “this vintage lacked the heat spikes we often experience; the even ripening developed plenty of concentrated flavors.”
On California’s Central Coast, Chuck Carlson of Curtis Winery had a crop like many other California winemakers: “We experienced good to above normal yields on all of our Rhone varietals, in fact, we had to drop fruit mid-season to ensure proper ripening. I'm pretty excited by what I'm tasting in the barrels.” Jason Haas at Tablas Creek Winery said that their “yields were up about 20%, and I know that this was moderate for Paso Robles wineries.”
Even vintners who had lighter than usual crops said that picking started later than normal. Like Forsyth, many mentioned the lack of heat spikes and the contribution that the long, relatively mild growing season made to flavor development. Charene Beltramo of Cline Cellars in Sonoma, spoke for many of the winemakers when she noted that, “the red wines have great color extraction and acids are higher than in previous years.”
Many winemakers waxed poetic about their acid levels. Bayard Fox from Renard, who describes his wines as “ballerinas that took up kick boxing,” compared 2005 to a European vintage:
I have been yearning to experience another European vintage with full knowledge I would never be able to do so living in the same Northern hemisphere. And yet, this year we have experienced an equivalent of continental climate with cooler, moister conditions, and hence higher acids with out the outrageous sugars. Essentially, I got my continental vintage without paying for the plane ticket!
By varietal, wineries report that Syrah yields varied widely be region (and bears), but that the late start of harvest combined with slow ripening developed “classic” flavors and balance.
Other Rhone Ranger reds garnered the same adjectives from winemakers: Grenache and Mourvedre look “exceptional.” Petite Sirah is “darkly colored, peppery and spicy.” Dan Lee at Morgan Winery simply said, “quality is awesome across the board.”
Viognier yielded ripe, clean and uniform flavors from Idaho to California, with some winemakers reporting intense varietal flavors at lower Brix than usual.
For other whites, the reports were similar. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne all developed ripe flavors at lower Brix than usual. And in obscure Rhone whites, Tablas Creek Winery in Paso Robles expects to pick its first crop of Picpoul Blanc, an ancient grape from the Languedoc region of France, in early November.
Norman Silverman from Silver Pines Vineyard in Sonoma, summed up 2005 simply: “it should be a benchmark year” for Rhone varietal wines.
While some of those lower yields can be attributed to shatter, Tracey Brandt from A Donkey and Goat Winery said that their “Mendocino County Syrah was off by 50% this year, not just because of weather, but because a bear ate over a half ton of the fruit…” Winemaker David Lake in Washington has the same problem, and noted that the vineyard block “looked as if it had been mechanically harvested. Fortunately, the bears had not seen the movie Sideways and showed a strong preference for Merlot!”
Also in Washington State, Wilridge Winery winemaker Paul Beveridge noted that yields were down “20% to 30%, but flavor concentration is great.” Hogue Cellars director of winemaking agreed, noting that “this vintage lacked the heat spikes we often experience; the even ripening developed plenty of concentrated flavors.”
On California’s Central Coast, Chuck Carlson of Curtis Winery had a crop like many other California winemakers: “We experienced good to above normal yields on all of our Rhone varietals, in fact, we had to drop fruit mid-season to ensure proper ripening. I'm pretty excited by what I'm tasting in the barrels.” Jason Haas at Tablas Creek Winery said that their “yields were up about 20%, and I know that this was moderate for Paso Robles wineries.”
Even vintners who had lighter than usual crops said that picking started later than normal. Like Forsyth, many mentioned the lack of heat spikes and the contribution that the long, relatively mild growing season made to flavor development. Charene Beltramo of Cline Cellars in Sonoma, spoke for many of the winemakers when she noted that, “the red wines have great color extraction and acids are higher than in previous years.”
Many winemakers waxed poetic about their acid levels. Bayard Fox from Renard, who describes his wines as “ballerinas that took up kick boxing,” compared 2005 to a European vintage:
I have been yearning to experience another European vintage with full knowledge I would never be able to do so living in the same Northern hemisphere. And yet, this year we have experienced an equivalent of continental climate with cooler, moister conditions, and hence higher acids with out the outrageous sugars. Essentially, I got my continental vintage without paying for the plane ticket!
By varietal, wineries report that Syrah yields varied widely be region (and bears), but that the late start of harvest combined with slow ripening developed “classic” flavors and balance.
Other Rhone Ranger reds garnered the same adjectives from winemakers: Grenache and Mourvedre look “exceptional.” Petite Sirah is “darkly colored, peppery and spicy.” Dan Lee at Morgan Winery simply said, “quality is awesome across the board.”
Viognier yielded ripe, clean and uniform flavors from Idaho to California, with some winemakers reporting intense varietal flavors at lower Brix than usual.
For other whites, the reports were similar. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne all developed ripe flavors at lower Brix than usual. And in obscure Rhone whites, Tablas Creek Winery in Paso Robles expects to pick its first crop of Picpoul Blanc, an ancient grape from the Languedoc region of France, in early November.
Norman Silverman from Silver Pines Vineyard in Sonoma, summed up 2005 simply: “it should be a benchmark year” for Rhone varietal wines.