Drought and other questions

After my recent trip to Napa, I received questions from readers and customers about the state of wine country, from the arsenic lawsuit to the effects of the drought on wine production. There is nothing like spending time with folks up and down the "chain of command" at wineries - from executives to winemakers to growers and cellar folks - to get first hand answers.

I talked to many in Napa about the lack of rainfall and its predicted effects on the grape crop and the quality of wine from drought vintages. You never know until harvest and crush arrives, but with respect to the lack of rainfall the answers were close enough to call them universal. For Napa and Sonoma counties December was a very wet month and the rain they received hit at the right time. The reservoirs, both those at the wineries and vineyards themselves as well as those in the surrounding area were fairly low, and the strong December rains filled them nicely.

The short answer is that all agreed that wineries and vineyards in Napa and Sonoma will be just fine for the 2015 growing season. Things may be tougher in the central and southern parts of California but these most iconic of wine valleys and those in Mendocino and Lake counties to the north are in good shape.

The well timed rainfall was only part of the story. In talking water supply and usage most everyone I discussed the subject with said simply "we are used to this." California in general - and wine country more specifically - deals with frequent low rainfall, and the wine industry has become adept at dealing with it. From recycling grey water to mastering and embracing the art of dry farming, they know how to manage it. Given the choice between a long warm dry growing season and a cool wet year, most all would prefer warm and dry.

The lawsuit over arsenic levels in wine is drawing a quick and firm response from not only those involved but the industry as a whole. Despite the focus of the lawsuit being on producers on the lowest rung of the price ladder, all are keenly focused on its implications. I have been asked who is included in the lawsuit, and we do carry and plan to continue to carry wines from some of those named which are Franzia, Sutter Home, Concannon, Wine Cube, Beringer, Flip Flop, Fetzer, Korbel, Almaden, Trapiche, Cupcake, Smoking Loon and Charles Shaw. The names excluded are as interesting and telling as those included, given the relationship between the plaintiffs and wineries not named. Like all lawsuits there will be interesting twists and turns as the case gets litigated, only fractions of information are in the public domain at this time.

While some of the responses from the Wine Institute and other industry bodies have been lacking in my opinion, the wineries themselves have some well-reasoned explanations and facts regarding the claims that will come to light as the legal process grinds forward. While meeting with the folks at Trinchero Wine Estates I was impressed with their production methods and safeguards they take to protect the quality and integrity of their wines. We are very early in the process and we will follow it closely as it runs its course.

I also received many questions on pricing of wine and tastings. With respect to wines, I was able to find both at the wineries I visited and while dining at restaurants the full range of wine prices from the affordable to the breathtaking. While the very highest end of the super premium market segment in Napa gets the lion's share of the press, there are many affordable wines made there. Most in the more affordable category come from some of the longest tenured producers who have established vineyards and facilities making the financial aspect more manageable. While great cult wines still command staggering sums there are those wines we all would be comfortable buying.

Tasting fees at wineries are expensive and getting more so. The crush of wine tourism, the demand side of the equation, is causing price increases on the supply side of the same calculation. Most wineries are seeing so many visitors they need to offset the cost of pouring a lot of wine. Gone too are the days when the tasting fee is refunded with a purchase. Complimentary tastings are still available in some spots to wine club members or with special arrangements, but if you walk into any winery as you drive around the valley expect to pull out your wallet prior to taking that first sip of Chardonnay.

We like and appreciate all of your questions so please continue to ask.

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. 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.