1999

HARVEST: This was an unusually warm year in early season. Spring arrived a bit early with bud break around the middle of March. Warm weather continued into set and veraison. Everything was so accelerated that we thought that the bubble makers would start around mid-July (I kid you not!) and the still producers the first week of August. That was until the morning of Monday the 9^th of July. The sweltering 4^th was great for swim parties and BBQ’s but the grapes were taking a hit. But on the 9^th of July summer fogs rolled through the Golden Gate and thus was the beginning of true summer weather in the North Bay; foggy cool mornings (low 50’s) and warm breezy afternoons (mid-80’s). But after only a short respite the hot weather was back. Heat spikes throughout August and early September (7 for the entire growing season as opposed to the customary 2) ran sugars up without the ripest flavors. Some picked, some waited. My early bird vineyard, Bacigalupi came in as late as ever, mid September with the others following from October 7-12. A year where the picking date was life or death. Beer of choice: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

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