2014 crop preview

Each year about this time we start to get feedback from growers and winemakers around the Western U.S. about how the wine grape crop is looking as we get to mid-summer. While much can still transpire in the vineyard between now and harvest that commences in August and concludes in October most years we can get a feel for how the vintage is shaping up by what has already happened.

Looking over the last several years, 2010 was the coldest summer in 50 years in California and similarly cool in the Northwest. Despite the cool growing conditions the wines turned out much better than many of us expected resulting in some really great wines. It is an inconsistent year though, so trying before you buy while always important is vital for the '10s. Similarly 2011 was a very cool year with early fall rains. As challenging as 2010 was the 2011 vintage was even more so and there are great inconsistencies from producer to producer, again try before you buy.

2012 was a great year with warm temperatures and a huge crop, exactly what many wineries needed to recover from the two previous vintages. Similarly 2013 was a good year with another large crop but not quite as large as 2012 as winemakers "dropped" quite a lot of fruit to improve concentration. The whites and pinks we have tasted from 13 though are very good to great.

So far in 2014 the start of the growing year has been very promising although some problems are beginning to appear on the horizon. For both California and the Northwest the growing season started fast and early. There were no large scale spring frosts or heavy storms that could result in shatter. Shatter is where rain or hail can damage the buds and therefore the clusters that follow. This has led to a good set; set is how the grape clusters set from the bud break. A tight full set means less damaged or missing fruit in the cluster resulting in higher and more consistent yields. In California growers are reporting the crop will be large although not as big as 2013. Washington is expecting a bumper crop and may have to drop fruit to garner the flavor profile they are seeking.

For Washington state growers verasion, where the grapes start to turn purple as they ripen, is expected to commence in just a couple of weeks. California is likely already there. The challenge in Washington right now with getting to verasion and the start of ripening is the heat. 104 degrees in Walla Walla last week according to one of our winemaker sources has caused the plants to shut down, so no maturation of the grapes at all because it is too hot. To help cope with the heat growers are watering more frequently than normal and have not trimmed the canopy on the vines at all.

The other challenge for Washington that we are very familiar with right now is the chance of smoke damage. The wildfires burning in Oregon, Washington and Idaho all have the ability to alter the flavor of the grapes as the smoke settles on the vines. While the lack of verasion to date will help prevent the grapes from absorbing as much smoke flavor, an already active fire season is presenting risks.

For California growers and winemakers the news is largely better, there is little impact being felt from the well publicized drought, and wildfires are mostly contained to the Southern part of the state. With a warm year and large crop growers in most of the Western U.S. appellations are expecting an early harvest.

Much can happen between now and when all the grapes are picked and crushed but so far the 2014 looks like a big and great to very good year. As Cliff Harris always says only time will tell but about halfway through the year it looks good.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party, a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions; his articles are published around the country and is the wine editor for Coeur d'Alene Magazine (www.cdamagazine.com). You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles, as well as other great wine tips, by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.