2012 Harvest Gets Hazy

Two stories dominate this week’s harvest report. The first is the continuation of near perfect weather for harvest across eastern Washington. The second is the potential threat of smoke from a number of large wildfires. Let’s start there.

Due to the long, warm dry spell this season, a series of large wildfires are burning in eastern Washington and central and southern Idaho. Smoke from these wildfires has created a haze over large areas of eastern Washington. While most of Washington’s growing regions are far from the flames, others are fairly close.
 
The Wenatchee Complex fire has burned an estimated 42,000 square acres. For perspective, this almost equals Washington’s total planted grape acreage last year. The smoke from this complex of fires has been so thick that it has been difficult to see from one side of Lake Chelan to the other in the nearby town of Chelan, with the air quality called ‘hazardous’ by the Washington Department of Ecology. While the flames are further away, other wildfires brought smoke to the Walla Walla Valley last week, dropping ash in some vineyards. Areas of the Yakima Valley have also been hazy with smoke noticeable in the air.

The obvious question is will this smoke have any effect on the state’s grape harvest? The answer is difficult to determine at this point, although growers and winemakers remain hopeful that smoke taint – which has affected wines in Australia and California in the last decade - will not be an issue in any of the state's growing regions.
Many factors are involved in creating smoke taint in wines, including the distance of the vineyard from the fire, the density of the smoke, and the duration of the grape/vine contact with the smoke. Research has also shown that the absorption of smoke related compounds differs across grapes varieties, with some more susceptible than others. Unfortunately, there isn’t currently a full understanding of the contribution of all of these variables or even the full equation.

Washington State University’s Viticulture & Enology Research & Extension newsletter last weekend stated, “We currently do not know…how long smoke from wildfires needs to be present in vineyards before smoke taint becomes a problem.” However, due to the smoke, WSU recommends harvesting, “sooner rather than later.”

ETS Laboratories cautions that, “Vines do not need to be exposed to thick smoke to produce tainted wines.” They also note that it is impossible to taste the grapes, or the fermenting juice, and determine if they are tainted or not, saying, “There is strong evidence that smoke taint compounds absorbed by vines are partly bound to glycosides, making them difficult to detect through sensory evaluation of grapes (read ETS’ full statement here).”

How do wines made from smoke tainted grapes ultimately present themselves? On a sensory level, according to Australia’s Vinessential Laboratory, wines affected by smoke can have aromas and flavors described as ‘burnt’, ‘ashtray’, ‘charred,’ ‘salami,’ and ‘disinfectant.’ In the laboratory, Guaiacol and 4 methylguaiacol (G and 4MG) are marker compounds for smoke taint and are measured by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. These compounds can be tested in grapes, fermented juice, and finished wine.

Australian based Memstar notes, however, that G and 4MG levels in grapes and juice are not reliable predictors of smoke taint in wine, as these compounds are not in a free form until after fermentation. Additionally, their concentration increases over time in finished wine as they are released from their bound form.

There are steps growers and winemakers can take to reduce the potential effects of smoke taint. According to the Center for Expertise in Smoke Research at the Victoria Department of Primary Industries, smoke taint can be reduced by hand harvesting, chilling grapes, and altering pressing methods. WSU recommends reducing skin contact time, conducting whole cluster pressing, and separating free run and press juice. They also note that some strains of yeast lessen the effects of smoke taint, while some other forms of yeast exacerbate it (read the entire newsletter here).

For wine affected by smoke taint, research has focused on trying to remove it by using fining agents (read an example here). Reverse osmosis has also been used but research has shown that this is only temporarily effective with the taint returning over time.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether the smoke in eastern Washington will have a significant effect - or even any effect - on any of the wines produced in 2012. A number of wineries are currently testing the grapes they have harvested thus far for any evidence of smoke taint. Notably, some areas of eastern Washington experienced some clearing of the smoke over the weekend with rain also falling in a few areas. Stay tuned.

Outside of the smoke, the otherwise favorable weather has continued to ripen grapes in the vineyard, and winemakers remain excited for what the 2012 vintage holds.

“We could not have asked for better weather through most of the year and September has been spectacular,” John Bigelow of JM Cellars says. “My first pick last year was September 28th. My first pick this year was September 10th (both were Sauvignon Blanc). After two years of cool harvests I am seeing smiling faces in the vineyards.”

While the last two years the grapes reached physiological ripeness and winemakers waited for sugar accumulation, this year marks a return to previous years with physiological ripeness lagging. “I think the biggest challenge this fall will be to have patience as we see the sugars climb and to pick when the grapes are physiologically ripe,” Bigelow says. “We have picked only one red so far, and that is Ciel du Cheval Merlot." Bigelow says that he was originally planning to pick more grapes but held off. "I initially had these (blocks) scheduled for last week, but after tasting and running acids on the samples it was clear the vines have more to give, and I am glad I waited."

Meanwhile Sean Boyd of Woodinville Wine Cellars agrees about the good weather, saying, “This last week has been ideal as has the last ten to twelve weeks or so.” Boyd says that he expects harvest to continue for him into the third week of October assuming the weather holds.

Josh Lawrence of Lawrence Vineyard and Gård Vintners says of the vintage, “So far we’ve been very happy with the steady maturation of the grapes and are thrilled to start harvest at a much closer to average date, considering the struggles of the last two seasons. As with many vineyards in the state, we are seeing significant jumps in sugars while the acids are hanging in there nicely.”

Meanwhile Wade Wolfe, of Thurston Wolfe, says of the growing season, “From a heat unit prospective, the season has been near 'normal', though we had two notable climatic events that have distinguished this year. The first was an unusually cool and damp June that set grape development somewhat behind but did not appear to have caused any adverse disease issues. The second was a hot spell in mid July that was not unusual in its heat, but it was extremely humid and was accompanied by severe thunderstorms and hail that caused localized damage to vineyards and other crops. Since those two events, the season has been near ideal for vine and fruit development.”

Wolfe, who sources most of his fruit from vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills and Yakima Valley says, “With the warm, sunny days and cool nights during September, sugars have been climbing rapidly while acids are remaining relatively high. We are already seeing higher sugars by mid September than we saw at the end of October during the last two seasons, which were unusually cool.”
Wolfe says of the smoke in eastern Washington in the areas that he works with, “At current levels, though hazy and somewhat uncomfortable for humans, I do not think it is concentrated enough to result in smoke taint in the wines.”

Read previous harvest updates here. Satellite image from National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Picture of smoke on Lake Chelan courtesy of Chelan Estate Winery.

* * *
See information on the Washington State Growing Degree Days here.

See monthly forecast for Yakima Valley (Sunnyside), Red Mountain (Benton City), Walla Walla, Paterson, and Mattawa.

The information in the table below is aggregated from personal correspondence with growers and winemakers, as well as information posted on Twitter and Facebook. It is not intended to be comprehensive but rather is intended as a snapshot of what is going on around the state. If you wish to send data for your grapes or vineyards (or correct any of the information below), please email me at wawinereport@gmail.com, leave a comment here, or leave a comment on the WWR Facebook page.

Winery	Grape	Vineyard	Date	Notes
Columbia Valley
Rasa	Riesling	Bacchus	9/16	First Riesling
àMaurice	Merlot	Dionysus	9/17	First grapes of harvest
Forgeron	Merlot	Candy Mountain	9/18
Long Shadows	Syrah	Bacchus	9/18	First reds
Gard	Chardonnay	Lawrence	9/18	First fruit
Gard	Sauvignon Blanc	Lawrence	9/18	First fruit
Chateau Ste. Michelle	Chardonnay	Goose Ridge	9/18
Three Rivers	Syrah	Wooded Island	9/18	First red
Rasa	Merlot	Bacchus	9/18
Rasa	Syrah	Bacchus	9/18
Forgeron	Chardonnay	Conner Lee	9/19
--	Cabernet	Sagemoor	9/20
Trust	Syrah	Wooded Island	9/20
Barrister	Merlot	Bacchus	9/21
Mackey	Chardonnay	Bacchus/Sagemoor	9/21	5.5 tons
StoneCap	Chardonnay	Goose Ridge	9/22
Adams Bench	Merlot	Stillwater Creek	9/22
Yakima Valley
Owen Roe	Merlot	Red Willow	9/14
Gramercy	Syrah	Red Willow	9/15
Sleight of Hand	Chardonnay	French Creek	9/17	Last pick of Chard
Cote Bonneville	Chardonnay	DuBrul	9/18
Avennia	Merlot	Red Willow	9/18
Airfield Estates	Sauvignon Blanc	Estate	9/19
Lobo Hills	Gewurztraminer	Lonesome Springs	9/19
Sparkman	Sauvignon Blanc	Boushey	9/20
NHV	Tempranillo	Two Coyote	9/20
Adams Bench	Merlot	Red Willow	9/22
Maison Bleue	Mourvedre	Red Willow	9/22
NHV	Verdello	Two Coyote	9/22
Red Mountain
Soos Creek	Merlot	Ciel du Cheval	9/14
Dusted Valley	Syrah	Red Heaven	9/14
Obelisco	Merlot	Estate	9/14
Maison Bleue	Syrah	Ciel du Cheval	9/14
Force Majeure	Syrah	Force Majeure	9/15	Hillside
Januik-Novelty Hill	Merlot	Klipsun	9/15
Januik-Novelty Hill	Merlot	Ciel du Cheval	9/15
Barrister	Sauvignon Blanc	Klipsun	9/15	First fruit
:Nota Bene	Merlot	Ciel du Cheval	9/15
Sleight of Hand	Merlot	Scooteney Flats	9/17	First red
Avennia	Merlot	Klipsun	9/18
Kiona	Lemberger	Kiona	9/19
Guardian	Merlot	Ciel du Cheval	9/20
--	Cabernet Sauv	Taptiel	9/21
Flying Trout	Malbec	Scooteney Flats	9/21	First fruit of 2012
Sleight of Hand	Merlot	RMV	9/21
Gorman	Cabernet Sauvignon	Quintessence	9/21
Ross Andrew	Merlot	Klipsun	9/22
--	Syrah	Red Heaven	9/22
Ross Andrew	Cabernet Sauv	Quintessence	9/22
Adams Bench	Merlot	Artz	9/22
Kaella	Syrah	Ciel du Cheval	9/22
Fidelitas	Cabernet Sauv	Quintessence	9/22
Estrin	Merlot	Red Mountain	9/22
Walla Walla Valley
Tranche	Viognier	Blue Mountain	9/16	First fruit from vyd
Pepper Bridge	Merlot	Pepper Bridge	9/19
Seven Hills	Malbec	McClellan Estate	9/20
Reininger	Merlot	XL	9/21	First fruit of year
Woodward Canyon	Cabernet Sauv	Estate	9/21
Saviah	Merlot	Anna Marie	9/22
Rattlesnake Hills
--	--	--	--
Lake Chelan
Chelan Estate	Chardonnay	Estate	9/22
Wahluke Slope
Saviah	Semillon	Rosebud	9/15
Desert Wind	Sauvignon Blanc	--	9/17	First grapes
Forgeron	Primitivo	StoneTree	9/19
--	Grenache	Clifton, Clifton Bluff	9/19
Bergevin Lane	Merlot	StoneTree	9/20
Hestia	Merlot	StoneTree	9/20
Hard Row	Primitivo		9/21
Forgeron	Chardonnay	Weinbau	9/21
Woodward Canyon	Merlot	Weinbau	9/22
Horse Heaven Hills
Chateau Ste. Michelle	Chardonnay	Canoe Ridge	9/7	Last year 9/23
Chateau Ste. Michelle	Merlot	Canoe Ridge	9/17
Waters	Viognier	Alder Ridge	9/17	First fruit of 2012
Forgeron	Roussanne	Alder Ridge	9/18
Swiftwater	Chardonnay	Zephyr Ridge	9/21	First fruit
Alexandria Nicole	Merlot	Destiny Ridge	9/18
Coyote Canyon	Viognier	Coyote Canyon	9/21
Coyote Canyon	Roussanne	Coyote Canyon	9/21
Snipes Mountain
Forgeron	Chardonnay	Upland	9/18
Rolling Bay	Syrah	Upland	9/18
Kerloo	Syrah	Upland	9/23
Naches Heights
NHV	Pinot Gris	Naches Heights	9/17	Earliest date from vyd