2001

HARVEST: A spring frost on the 3rd of April took most of us by surprise. A warm early spring had vine buds out and vulnerable when the freak cold weather hit. All areas were affected and in the oddest patterns. Damage was spotty and in some cases up to 50%. My vineyards were hit in an unpredictable manner with the Dutton Jewell Ranch most severely affected with a 30% loss. The reliable morning fog abandoned us for a 10 day period in mid June allowing temperatures to rise into the triple digits. As there was still plenty of ground moisture, both the laterals and the new bunches shot forward. A cold front brought over an inch of rain from the 25th to the 27th of June. The vines were not so keen on the cold but loved the rain. From that point forward the weather was blissful with long leisurely foggy mornings and afternoon temperatures in the mid 80's. As usual, the first vineyard in was the Bacigalupi picked on the 8th of September. The Dutton-Jewell Vineyard was scheduled for the 11th. Of course, it was a surreal day. We had just finished picking and were loading up the truck when the first word arrived about the Twin Tower fiasco. It was nearly impossible to finish our professional duties but the grapes had a date with the winery. The rest of the season was executed in a bit of a cloud as we tried to reason with and assimilate the recent events. Mother Nature handled us with kid gloves. The weather was picture perfect. Cool morning fogs removed any pressure from picking and the fermentation tanks could be turned at leisure. The quality of the wines reflect this as they are brilliantly rich, robust, extracted and complex. Beer of choice: Bud Light over ice.

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