jerem@tekgvs.UUCP (Jere Marrs) (02/10/85)
The latest Wines & Vines (February) has the vintage reports for the Fall 1984 crop across the country. I'll summarize the *important* areas in the Northwest and California (note humor). In western Oregon, the Willamette Valley, the growing season got started late after a cool wet Spring. Flowering began in late June and early July - very late. After the rains stopped, there was a very long dry period in July and August which was almost ideal for flowering and fruit set, but unfortunately, it was a very cool period also. Tonnage was up but quality was down. Downward prices reflect a growing parity between grape supplies and winery capacity. In eastern Washington (Yakima Valley), the Spring was also cool. Many varieties are recovering from freeze damage in 1983 notably Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, among others. Whites yielded lower sugar and higher acid than usual, but reds had almost optimum acid/sugar balance. Wine grape yields were down from 1983. There are 40 wineries now in Washington with ten scheduled to be added in 1985. The North Coast Counties of California fared somewhat better than the Northwest. They had a record wet Spring, but then a very rapid growing season for the rest of the Summer with temperatures well above normal. Napa County was seeing temperatures above 100 degrees as early as May. The heat persisted through most of the growing season. The grapes matured very fast and gave the sparkling wine people a run for their grapes with harvesting beginning two to three weeks early. All varieties matured at about the same time making for a picking labor problem. Some Zinfandel and Riesling raisined on the vines and were lost, but most made it to the crush. Many grapes were crushed to the grower's accounts in hopes for a bulk market later. Quality is estimated to "range from excellent ot somewhat disappointing." In Napa County, the crop was large with 90,000 tons from 26,000 acres. By the way, Leon Adams is predicting a red wine boom. You have laid away those bargain Cabernets and Zins haven't you? Jere M. Marrs Tektronix, Inc. Beaverton, Oregon tektronix!tekgvs!jerem