Making Our Mark

9/13/09 - That most important time of year for winemakers has arrived quickly this year -- harvest, the time when our most meaningful decisions are made.  While still secondary to the site, the soil, the clones, the management of the vines,the winemaker has his or her biggest impact on the final wines by choosing the date of harvest.  Of course, there are many other important steps -- fermentation strategies and blending, most significantly -- along the many months journey for each wine, but it is the assessment of flavor and balance with the more mundane chemistry of the fruit, that has the biggest impact. 

What will 2009 hold for us?  For all that has happened -- and no doubt it has been a highly eventful, roller-coaster summer in our many vineyards and appellations -- it is still too early to give with certainty a characterization for the vintage (heck, the 2007 vintage has still not been fairly or accurately assessed at this point).  What we can say with a degree of confidence, is that it won't be a cool vintage.   Good?  Bad?  Yes.