Notes from the 2006 Napa Valley Harvest

By Craig Williams, Director of Winemaking

The cool, late-ripening season of 2006 finished persuasively with near-perfect maturity levels reminiscent of the exceptional ’91 harvest. This came as a huge relief because September was one of the coolest on record. Unlike ’91—where ripening was delayed by a large crop only to be rescued by hot, dry, windy weather during October—2006 surprisingly carried a modest crop. So it was with great relief that we received warm, dry, windy conditions at the end of October, bringing the fruit to desired maturity levels. The long growing season provided higher acid content, thicker skins (with potentially more flavor) and exceptional color and tannin. At this early stage the newly fashioned wines exhibit great potential.

By Philippe Pessereau, Director of Vineyard Operations

During the 2006 growing season we observed excellent color development and slow maturation while acids remained at good levels. The fairly consistent weather made for longer harvest due to slow maturation of the berries. We anticipated a cooler trend for the season’s end and thus thinned numerous blocks to obtain better flavor and phenolics maturity. All white fruit was harvested by September 14th and we began picking Merlot in Yountville on September 27th.

October began with a sprinkle (.20 inch on the 4th & 5th) which did not affect berry flavor or quality. Harvest really began in mid-October which brought warm days from the 17th on. The Backus Vineyard Cabernet was harvested October 27th, with the Suscol and St. Helena vineyards finishing on October 31st, along with Syrah. Color extraction was excellent, and tannins ranged from soft to angular, depending on the site.

The year’s harvest started September 1st and ended October 31st, making for a long, extended growing season. Flavors arose early on while acids did not seem to diminish, but sugars lagged behind which was atypical. However, since phenology development was late due to delayed verasion, it was normal to see such a setback in berry development. Despite cool temperatures at mid and end season, the weather stayed dry and allowed for extended hang time which resulted in superior color and tannin composition.

By Damian Parker, Vice President/Production

Today is November 2nd and it’s raining. Thankfully, the last Napa grapes were picked October 31st and it feels great to be finished! 2006 had some of the latest and heaviest winter and spring rains I can remember in my 30 years of making wine. When it finally stopped raining in May, the vines had some catching up to do.

Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier came in with great balance of flavor and acid. With the Bordeaux and Rhone varieties, we saw and abundance of color, structure and flavor that developed in the vineyards and carried through to the fermenters—signs that point to exceptional wines. Thanks to our production team and a great crew of interns from around the world, the 2006 growing season concluded with a sage and high quality harvest.

2006 Harvest Report – Sonoma
Freestone Vineyards

By Greg Cannon, Associate Director of Vineyard Operations

Weather highlights
Record 2005-2006 winter rains left vineyards very wet. Even in April we were still inundated with over 8 inches of rain which in turn increased disease & weed pressures in the vineyard. May had its share of moisture as well. However, moderately warm temperatures coupled with sporadic precipitation pushed vine shoot growth ahead and brought about the first strong signs of spring.

The latent bloom phenology in the vineyard and good weather conditions in early June allowed for near ideal cluster development for Freestone, Ferguson and Quarter Moon ranches. July temperatures were high for Freestone—high 70’s and low 80’s were most common but mercury levels rose to upper 90’s during the 3rd week of July. The heat pushed growing degrees ahead and most ranchers believed an early harvest was on the horizon.

August followed with typically moderate temperatures cooled by ocean breezes and overnight fog—optimal conditions for verasion. Early September weather was also typical of the Sonoma Coast with morning fog giving way to sunny afternoons. As the month progressed, warmer weather pushed many vineyards ahead of schedule for harvest.

Harvest notes
The 2006 grape harvest began on September 28th with the New West vineyard crew harvesting Pinot Noir early in the morning under the moon and stars, using light towers to illuminate the vines. Picking lasted through October 19th, a total of 9 days. While harvesting decisions are usually a function of Brix, acidity & pH, most vineyard blocks were picked according to ripe fruit flavors and cluster conditions. Crop levels were higher than anticipated and up from 2005.

Early indications of the vintage indicate quality levels to be quite high for Russian River and Sonoma Coast grapes, and while every growing season has its challenges, we are hopeful the 2006 vintage will prove to be a model year for high quality wines.