22 January 2008

With the 2007 vintage finally over (except for late harvest dessert wine making), it’s time to reflect on another season. Thankfully the vines had enough winter water last January and February in addition to cold temperatures for the dormant period. Spring was not as wet as in 2006. But we did experience some cool weather and rain during bloom, which can reduce crop. We did see a bit of this in Zinfandel in 2007. Instead of big, tightly packed clusters, many were quite loose and stringy. Aside from the large berry size so typical of Zin, the clusters reminded me of Merlot. Additionally, many Zin and Chardonnay clusters were full of small green berries that never developed. These are called “shot berries”; they look like green bee-bees.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (my little vineyard on Rockpile Road), we budded the 110R rootstock over to Zinfandel and Syrah in late August. Approximately 85% of the vineyard was budded to Zinfandel from my neighbor and vineyard manager, Jack Florence, Jr. This means that Jack cut some Zin canes with buds from his vineyard. Then Rigo Valdez did the pains taking work of actually cutting into a healthy cane on the rootstock in my vineyard and grafting on a bud cut from a cane of Jack’s Zin. The same procedure was followed for the Syrah, except the Syrah buds came from Florence Senior’s vineyard, just next door to son Jack. The new buds are held in place in the cut on the rootstock with a special sort of rubber band called a “budding rubber”. Then the site of the operation is covered loosely with soil and the vineyard is not watered for about 3-4 weeks. Thus the graft is protected from the sun and potential rot from water until the union between rootstock cane and scion bud is secure. I’ll walk the vineyard next March at budbreak and look for Zinfandel or Syrah leaves sprouting from the union, as evidence that the grafts have taken. A skilled grafter will have a 95% success rate.

Harvest 2007 began with a bang! The weather was in the 90’s steadily throughout August. We didn’t experience a lot of summer fog. The Pinot Noir was ready to pick before Labor Day (August 26), as the crop is thinned early to keep it small and concentrate flavors. If the vines have a smaller crop to bring to maturity, less time is required, as long as the weather accommodates. The fruit was also exceptionally “clean” this year; not a hint of Botrytis, the Noble Rot. Anyone growing the thin skinned varieties on the North Coast, such as Pinot, Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, or Zinfandel, always worries about mold.

But then the weather began to cool down toward the end of September and into early October. Healdsburg experienced light rain on September 22; the rain was much heavier up on Rockpile Road. Rain and cool weather can actually send the Brix or sugar readings down. Then growers and wine makers wait patiently (?) for warmer, drier weather to reverse the trend. While waiting, we nervously pace vineyards to spot the first signs of rot in Pinot or Zin and send in skilled crews to drop or cut off the affected fruit so the pickers don’t include it with sound clusters. Unfortunately, cutting off fruit this late doesn’t hasten ripening; it just lowers yield and raises labor costs. Agriculture is no fun at all when the weather is bad.

Most of the Zinfandel in the Dry Creek Valley was ripe and picked well before the week of really heavy rain that began on October 9. By midmonth, daytime temperatures were only in the 70’s and the days were becoming notably shorter. Under these conditions, it becomes harder and harder for the vine to properly ripen its crop. Often ripening does not continue normally, i.e., via photosynthesis in the leaves and translocation of sugar to the grapes. Instead, leaves from green to yellow and the Brix rises as the grapes simply dry out. Flavor and color compounds in the skins begin to breakdown as the vine prepares for winter. Wines made from such grapes can only be mediocre at best. The vintage outlook for later ripening grapes like Petit Sirah, Cabernet, Syrah, and Petit Verdot in Sonoma County is sketchy and will depend on individual vineyard site (soil drainage and sun exposure) and crop load.

Happily, the 2007 Pinot was safely tucked away in barrels by mid-September. It already tastes fabulous even while going through malolactic fermentation. I’m very excited about this vintage. I blended equal quantities of three different Dijon clones: 667, 777, and 115. Come by for a visit and taste from the barrel! Davenport & Company shares a winery with the Passalacqua Family at 3805 Lambert Bridge Road, Healdsburg. Call Margaret at the winery (707-433-5550) to make a tasting appointment or write to contact@davenportwines.com.