Harvest 2011 is looming!!!

It's that time of year, the time all winemakers have waited for, Harvest!!!

We've bottled previous vintages, and the winery has been prepared meticulously with the help of eager interns, ready to get their hands dirty. Harvest at Schramsberg is no different than harvest at other wineries in the Napa Valley, except that we start several weeks earlier due to our work with sparkling wine grapes.

Harvest 2011 is without a doubt going to have another late start! However, the beauty of a late harvest, especially in the Sparkling Chardonnay and Pinot Noir world, is that sugar accumulation has been slow while acidities are sky high. In addition, we winemakers like hang time for flavor development. I'm not one to count my chickens before they hatch, but,I am optimistic that Harvest 2011 is going to provide us with the goods to craft another vintage of delicious sparkling wines. If vintage 2010 is any indication, which I believe it is, I am feeling pretty good from where I sit. Although I haven't hit the dial button on the phone, my finger is getting antsy, and I can't wait to call my growers and get Harvest 2011 started.


Keith Hock