2009 Harvest

In terms of weather, the 2009 growing season was simpler than 2008. We had less rain during the spring, which made winter irrigation mandatory for most vineyards in the area. Harvest began a couple of weeks later than the previous year. It started out warm in July and August, then cooled off. We were in good shape until the rain in September – causing delays up to a week. We usually welcome the rain, but this year it came about the time that the grapes were very ripe and ready to come off the vine. Rainfall totals were from 3-5 inches on the east side and 10-15 inches on the west side. Depending on the vineyard location, the rainfall delayed the ripening of some varieties.
Most vineyards escaped the frost issues we had in 2008, although some growers on the west side did get hit towards the end of October. Most grapes had been harvested by that time, so the damage wasn’t as heavy as it could have been. By November 1st, harvest was over.

The overall quality of the fruit was good. We did have some quality issues with grapes harvested after the rain. Botrytis and mold caused some issues. Yields were average to below average. Overall, 2009 was a good year regarding quality, growing conditions, and yields.