Harvest Report: Week 10- Nearing Finish Line

According to St. Helena Star's 10th (& Final) Week Harvest Report, the harvest has wrapped up for a majority of Napa Valley growers and winemakers. Here are some final observations:

• Early harvest predictions were for a large yield but actually it was average in size. This was due to: the unusual heat wave in September, heavy thinning required for quality, and small berry size.
• Barrels of Pinot Noir are showing profundity in color and tannin. Perfume and grace will come with the passage of malo-lactic fermentation.
• In Rutherford, everyone waited for tannins to soften... it took longer than normal for the tannins to come around.
• After a very cool August, an early September heat spike shriveled clusters exposed to the morning and afternoon sun... Those who irrigated before the heat or had canopy protecting the clusters came through in better shape.
• There was incredible apprehension as to whether the fruit was mature or only sweet due to dehydration. At that point, much of the fruit still lacked signs of maturity. The seeds were still green, the skins were astringent, the pH was low and the acid was still high. The fruit, which was not harvested immediately, has continued to mature and harvested on a more gradual basis.
• Key factors that may differentiate this vintage from '01: slightly uneven flowering and set in June, possibly leading to slightly uneven ripening; the few very hot days in mid-September when sun-exposed fruit began to shrivel; the higher-than-normal sugars at which some vineyards were picked.