Harvest Report 2006 Napa Valley

Members of the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) met in San Francisco to revive a rich and long history between the City and Napa Valley of celebrating the annual winegrape harvest. The trade association hosted a press conference on the 2006 harvest, including a tasting of fresh-pressed/fermenting juice from this year’s crop. In addition, the Honorable Mayor Gavin Newsom proclaimed the day “Napa Valley Day.”

After a year that kept grapegrowers on their toes, vintners and winemakers are beginning to breathe a sigh of relief as the 2006 harvest nears completion in the next few weeks. “This was a grower’s year,” said NVV Hugh Davies, winemaker for Schramsberg Vineyards, “and thanks to excellent agricultural practices, the quality of varieties across the board appears spectacular.”

Flooding kicked off the New Year in Napa Valley, which made for great TV footage, but did little damage to dormant vines, as cover crops stabilized soils in vineyards while rain continued into spring. Bud break was delayed by a few weeks, but by June, the weather had turned and vines began to bloom and set fruit.

In mid-July, a record-setting heat wave lasted about ten days, but with the crop a few weeks behind the historically normal cycle, damage was almost nil. In fact, most growers agree that the heat helped catch the vines up to a “normal” place in the typical growing season. Whatever clusters may have received sun burns were removed during the normal post-veraison cluster thinning.

Some growers feared that if the heat of July continued, all varieties would need to be harvested in a tight timeframe, but seasonal and somewhat cooler weather returned in August. According to Jon Priest, winemaker for Etude, whose Pinot Noir harvest began in early September, “The mild weather pattern continued throughout our three-week harvest, allowing for moderately paced and deliberate ripening. The resulting wines have wonderful perfume and very good density. We are encouraged by this year’s harvest and are pleased with another successful vintage.”

Cool weather dominated early October, with some rain coming in the first week, but most white varieties—those more likely to be affected by rain than red varieties—were already harvested. Sauvignon Blanc at Frog’s Leap in Rutherford was all in by September 10, and owner John Williams said, “We had very nice ripening weather.” According to Sauvignon Blanc grower Volker Eisele of Volker Eisele Family Vineyard, “In the Pope Valley District, the white wine harvest was excellent – good quality and quantity.”

For Chardonnay, many growers were happy to have a bit of botrytis in the crop as an added flavor layer, thanks to the rains. Winemaker Pierre Birebent of Signorello Vineyards noted that brix for 2006 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the same as 2005, but the acidity levels are higher, resulting in well-balanced wines.

While the Pinot Noir harvest may be wrapped up, the harvest for the remaining red varieties is underway and still a few weeks away from completion. “Patience in 2006 is a virtue,” stated Michael Weis, winemaker, Groth Vineyards & Winery. “Our classic ‘Indian summer’ is allowing patient winegrowers to maximize the maturity of their Cabernet without developing the monster sugars that can plague a warmer year. We will be harvesting two to three weeks later than ‘average,’ but will be able to selectively pick sub-blocks that are ripening at differing rates.”

Michael Martini, master winemaker for Louis M. Martini Winery, added, “The 2006 Cabernet vintage in Napa Valley is turning out to be a very vibrant year. Tight tannins lend the notion that wines from 2006 should be long lived. The cool growing season has held high acids, which now are coming into balance. Green characters are gone from the fruit, and at this point that which we pick shows a combination of red and black cherry and is very vibrant.”

Weather reports predict sunny, mild weather in the near future, which should provide vintners with the conditions needed to bring a successful close to a dramatic year. “We are in a wonderful, long growing season - magnificent hang time for the development of very complex, concentrated flavors,” said Bo Barrett, winemaker for Chateau Montelena Winery. “It should be a bitchin' vintage!”

Additional 2006 harvest quotes & notes:

Araujo Estate Wines
Francoise Peschon, Winemaker
Our Sauvignon Blanc came in a few days later than last year (last year was itself a bit later than is typical). We harvested a good-sized crop of 23 tons between September 12 and 23, which started off with the Sauvignon Musquet. The flavors of the Musquet were huge and fleshy –very exciting. The harvesting was done in slightly fewer distinct picks than usual, due to particularly even ripening.

Chateau Montelena Winery
Bo Barrett, Winemaker
We are in a wonderful, long growing season - magnificent hang time for the development of very complex, concentrated flavors. It should be a bitchin' vintage!

Domaine Chandon
Tom Tiburzi, Sparkling Winemaker
The duration of the 2006 Sparkling harvest was very compressed, which we anticipated, following temperate spring conditions and a shortened bloom period. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the traditional Champagne varietals we use for sparkling wine, matured very evenly and concurrently due to temperate spring conditions. An unusual extended hot spell in July, which brought numerous consecutive 100 plus degree days, was the only significant event during maturity. The extreme heat occurred while the berries were green and hard, resulting in a slower maturity rate but no ill effects on grape quality. In fact, the long hang time led to complex flavor development. The resulting base wines from this vintage have vibrant acidity and fruit flavors, making it an ideal vintage for sparkling wine.

Etude
Jon Priest, Winemaker
Our Pinot Noir harvest began on September 5 in the midst of mild, late summer weather. The mild weather pattern continued throughout the three week harvest, allowing for moderately paced and deliberate ripening. The resulting wines have wonderful perfume and very good density. There is nothing more enchanting than the scent created by a winery full of fermenting Pinot Noir. We are encouraged by this year’s harvest and are pleased with another successful vintage.

Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel
Dirk Hampson, Director of Winemaking
Nickel & Nickel has brought in Cabernet from several different vineyards. The resulting wines are showing a brightness of fruit and more texture than what I was expecting based on tasting the fruit in the vineyard. The nature of the vintage can really affect ripening in various areas of the valley. Nickel & Nickel is on track to finish harvest in about 14 days.

Far Niente, on the other hand, will just begin bringing in Cabernet this Friday, October 20. I think the lateness of the season is allowing the vineyards to give us more uniformity in ripe fruit flavors, and I'm seeing almost no dimpling or raisining that we might see in a late harvest in a warmer year. The cool nights in the valley are making the vineyards look much more fall-like than typically happens by this time in October. I think we'll see the lion's share of harvest completed in the next two weeks in the Napa Valley.

Groth Vineyards & Winery
Michael Weis, Winemaker
Patience in 2006 is a virtue. Our classic ‘Indian summer’ is allowing patient winegrowers to maximize the maturity of their Cabernet without developing the monster sugars that plague a warmer year. We will be harvesting two to three weeks later than "average" but will be able to selectively pick sub-blocks that are ripening at differing rates.

Ladera Vineyards
Pat Stotesbery, Proprietor
Juxtaposition of ripening for our two mountain vineyards: typically our Lone Canyon Vineyard, on the flanks of Mount Veeder, begins before Howell Mountain due mostly to the hotter conditions there. This year, presumably caused by the cool weather periods, Howell Mountain led off and continues to be percentages ahead of the Mayacamas Mountains. Yields are, across the valley, down from last year and probably a good thing for ripening in this cool finishing period.

Louis M. Martini Winery
Mike Martini, Master Winemaker
The 2006 Cabernet vintage in Napa Valley is turning out to be a very vibrant year. Tight tannins lend the notion that wines from ‘06 should be long lived. The cool growing season has held high acids, which just now – two weeks late – are coming into balance. The grapes show minimal shrivel. Green characters have gone from the fruit and at this point that which we pick are a combination of red and black cherry and very vibrant. The Louis M Martini Winery is just getting under way with our Cabernet season.

Madonna Estate
Taylor Bartolucci, Partner/Director of Public Relations
We are describing this year in Carneros as ‘two harvests in one’ – our first harvest was in late September when we brought in Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, and Gewürztraminer. These grapes all ripened about the same time, which was a few weeks later than last year. Then we were given a week-long break by the weather, and now it’s time for ‘round 2’ – Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Overall, the crop is average in size, and because of the long growing season and long hang-time, the flavors are phenomenal! This year the grapes really enjoyed a long period for flavor development. The current warm weather pattern is a blessing, kicking this second stage of harvest into high gear. We expect to be done with everything in the next week or so.

Quintessa
Aaron Pott, Winemaker
As we wait for grapes to ripen I become aware of a giant Cabernet Sauvignon wave building above our heads that will surely crash upon us, bathing us in a compact harvest where multiple blocks all knock at the cellar door simultaneously. I am reminded of a buxom Mae West, Narcissus seated, glowing hallo blonde, admiring herself in a mirror as the the suitors line up outside the stage door. "Ten men waiting at the door? I'm tired send ONE of them home!"

Saintsbury
David Graves, Owner
In Carneros, bud break was late, but set weather turned out to be conducive to tight bunches with lots of berries. The July heat put things on hold, and the cool, foggy August slowed down ripening. The dry warm weather of mid-September put things into high gear. It seems there's always an early rain in late September or early October, and sure enough, rain it did. Not much, but enough to remind us how lucky we are to live in a region where significant rain before and during harvest is a rarity. Careful sorting in the vineyard and the winery became the order of the day. The 2006 Pinot Noirs out of barrel are promising, with good color and supple tannins. Chardonnay has good fruit, at a little lower alcohol than in some years.

Signorello Vineyards
Pierre Birebent, Winemaker
The 2006 vintage was as late as the 2005 vintage. However, the yields for the 2006 vintage are less bountiful. Some Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were picked on the exact same day as in 2005. Interestingly, the brix levels for the 2006 vintage are the same as in 2005, but the acidity levels are a lot higher this year than last year. The overall quality looks outstanding and 2006 should be an excellent vintage.

Spring Mountain Vineyard
Valli Ferrell, Public Relations
We farm 225 acres, or nearly 25% of the total planted acres in the Spring Mountain District. According to winemaker Jac Cole, there are remarkable similarities between 2005 and 2006 on Spring Mountain Vineyard. Both vintages had late winter rains, scorching July temperatures, and moderate temperatures in August through the beginning of harvest. Cool weather in early October 2006 slowed sugar accumulation while allowing the extended hang time that enhances physiological maturity and optimal development of flavors.

Spring Mountain Vineyard
Crop size for both vintages is above average, though 2006 is presenting lower estimated yields than 2005. Petit Verdot and Merlot are about the same crop size as last year. Cabernet Sauvignon is about 20% less in 2006 than in 2005. According to vineyard manager Ron Rosenbrand, “Spring Mountain Vineyard has received .35 inches of rain as of October 6. Things are looking good. Even a little rain won’t present a problem with Cabernet on our steep slopes. We estimate finishing harvest in the first part of November. “

Volker Eisele Family Estate
Volker Eisele, Owner
In the Chiles Valley District this year, things are a little slow due to the generally cool weather. The warming trend this week will be very helpful as we complete the Cabernet and Zinfandel harvest. Overall, the harvest has been a bit uneven – some grapes are simply outstanding; with others the flavor is slow in coming together. However, we had an excellent white grape harvest with good quality and quantity.

Zahtila Vineyards
Laura Zahtila, President
Due to the long winter, May bloom was concise and uniform. The resulting Zinfandel harvest is larger than 2005 and even better quality.

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A vintage chart documenting the temperature, rainfall and growing season for 2006 will be available on the Napa Valley Vintners website once harvest is complete. Previous year’s charts are currently available at www.napavintners.com

Now in its seventh decade, the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) nonprofit trade association is the sole organization responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley Appellation as a winegrowing region second to none in the world. Respect for our history reinforces our commitment to the preservation and enhancement of the Valley’s land, wine, and community for future generations. We address the shared interests of our more than 270 members and aspire to be the essential organization for all Napa Valley vintners.