Harvest 2010: Endgame

As of this writing (Sunday, November 7th) the wine grape harvest is just about over except for some isolated blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot (a notoriously slow ripener). It was one of the longest and slowest harvests on record, having begun about September 21 and ending the first (or second) week of November. Winemakers are very happy with the grapes they got. The crush progressed evenly as the grape picks were continuously spread out, unlike last year when an October 12 freeze necessitated harvesting the remaining grapes. Here are some reports from winemakers I talked with last week.

On Tuesday, the 2nd, I met with Trey Busch, co-owner and winemaker of Sleight of Hand, at Saviah Cellars where he makes his wines. There, I tasted some of the newly pressed 2010's from the barrels. First, was a French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay whose fermentation was finished and about to go malolactic. It was pleasingly ripe and applely, but even after malolactic fermentation, it will still be a fairly high acid wine. Two barrels of Funk Vineyard Syrah were sampled. The first picking was intense and saturated; the second, picked a week later, was even more concentrated. A Va Piano Merlot had an amazingly deep color and terrific fragrance for a wine that had just gone into the barrel. The 2010 vintage looks to be a stellar one for Merlot and Syrah.

On Wednesday, the 3rd, I helped Brad Riordan press Robison Ranch Cellars' 2010 Syrah. Fermentation was done and the wine ready to press and go into barrels. Brad was very happy with the outcome, especially for the Dwelley Jones Merlot and Spofford Station Syrah, both from south of Walla Walla.

On Thursday, I was at Va Piano Cellars where Ryan Crane, the assistant winemaker, was crushing the last picking of the harvest: Bacchus Vineyard Block 10 Cabernet Sauvignon (see the Review Facebook Wall for pictures of this). The grapes tasted sweet, with superb fruit-acids. The bunches were healthy and hardly any needed to be tossed out. Ryan described 2010 as a winemaker's vintage in that it called for skillful winemaking.

During the first weekend of December, I will have opportunities to taste 2010's and 2009's during Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend in Walla Walla. Watch for my report in mid-December.