| Napa Valley |
September 23, 2005
About 25% of the harvest is done. So far the weather has been very cool without rain. Fruit is ripening slowly and flavors are developing well without any of the sunburn and raisining we've had in recent years.
Pinot Noir from Carneros so far looks very good. It has been ripening in very cool weather at the end of August and early September so there is virtually none of the sunburn and shrivelling of the past few warm years. I have been picking at relatively lower sugar levels than previous years, but with good flavor development.
Sauvignon Blanc has also been very good. It has good flavor and substantial acidity.
Chardonnay is developing good flavor and we have harvested a few of the earliest blocks. The crop is coming in 20% to 30% heavier than expected.
Only a few tons of Merlot have been harvested and it looks very good, too. The cool weather has produced results similar to those for Pinot Noir.
The Cabernet Sauvingon crop looks potentially pretty big but we probably won't be starting harvest in even the earliest vineyards for another week.
Steve Test, Director of Winemaking
Merryvale Vineyards
St. Helena
Napa Valley
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