
Jay DeWitt of Dumas Station Winery and Minnick Hills Vineyard says of the recent warm weather, “The post-veraison weather has been unusually kind. The daily temperature range, relative humidity, and sunlight hours have been nearly ideal for ripening. This was true for the past week, and the weather forecast for next ten days looks good. I am now confident that we will get nearly all of the grapes ripe.” This was far from certain even two weeks ago.

Winemaker Ben Smith of Cadence Winery agrees that the vintage has been unusual. “It is unlike any vintage I’ve seen since I started making wine in 1992, although most similar to 1999,” Smith says. “This vintage has featured the lowest ripeness levels I’ve ever seen – we’re probably averaging 24.0 Brix – yet flavors are absolutely mature.”
Warmer sites, such as vineyards on Red Mountain, have already brought in many varieties. Seven Hills Winery, which traditionally picks earlier than many, brought in some of its Red Mountain Cabernet on October 4th. This is a good sign for many of the state’s winemakers that their pick dates for Cabernet, a late ripening varietal, cannot be far off. Still, cooler sites have large amounts of fruit hanging.

Along with the potential arrival of cold weather in some locations, the other main concern at present is the compression of the harvest schedule. Much like last year, multiple grapes will be coming in to wineries at the same time. Vineyard manager Ryan Johnson, who manages multiple sites on Red Mountain, noted that this was the first vintage in his career where he would pick Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Viognier, Roussanne, Nebbiolo, and Petit Verdot in same week.
For Washington’s numerous small wineries, large amounts of grapes coming in over short periods of time presents considerable challenges. Butner explains, “All of the grapes will be coming in a short window of time. Problem for us is we do not have the floor space for our shared three wineries. In a normal vintage, the ferments are staggered and when one batch is done fermenting, the next comes in. This year if everything comes in and is fermenting at the same time, we will not have the room for it all.” Shannon Jones of Hestia Cellars echoes both the excitement about the vintage and the concern about the compression of the schedule, saying, “Things are looking nice, great flavors and good acidity. Now, if we only had more space!”
See information on the Washington State Growing Degree Days here.
Monthly forecast for Yakima Valley, Walla Walla Valley, and Mattawa.
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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.
Pictures courtesy of SYZYGY Wines, Obelisco Estate, Kaella Winery, and Waterbrook respectively.
Winery | Grape | Vineyard | Date | Notes |
Yakima Valley | ||||
Hard Row to Hoe | Orange Muscat | Lonesome Springs Ranch | 9/29 | Brix = 25.2 |
Sleight of Hand | Chardonnay | French Creek | 9/30 | |
Brian Carter | Merlot | Olsen Estate | 9/30 | |
Sinclair Estates | Chardonnay | Lewis | 10/2 | |
21 Cellars | Tempranillo | Elephant Mt | 10/2 | |
Cote Bonneville | Merlot | DuBrul | 10/2 | |
Sleight of Hand | Merlot | Blackrock | 10/7 | Just over 24 Brix |
Red Mountain | ||||
Sleight of Hand | Merlot | Red Mt Vineyard | 9/29 | 26.4 brix, 3.66 pH, and TA around .45. |
NA | Merlot | Ciel du Cheval | 9/30 | Almost done harvesting |
NA | Viognier Syrah | Ciel du Cheval | 9/30 | Started harvesting |
Cooper Wine Co | Merlot | Estate | 10/1 | |
Grand Reve | Syrah | Grand Reve Vineyard | 10/2 | |
CZ Cellars | Grenache | Red Haven | 10/2 | 27.6 brix, 0.56 acid and 3.33 pH |
21 Cellars | Sauv Blanc | Artz | 10/2 | |
Col Solare | Merlot | Estate | 10/4 | |
Col Solare | Malbec | Estate | 10/4 | |
Seven Hills | Cabernet | Klipsun | 10/4 | |
Seven Hills | Cabernet | Ciel du Cheval | 10/4 | |
Elsom | Merlot | Klipsun | 10/5 | |
Obelisco | Cabernet | Estate | TBD | 23.5 brix TA 0.67 ph 3.42 10/4 |
Obelisco | Malbec | Estate | TBD | Malbec 22.6 Brix TA:0.66 ph 3.30 10/4 |
Walla Walla Valley | ||||
SYZYGY | Syrah | Seven Hills | 10/2 | |
Sleight of Hand | Merlot | Va Piano | 10/5 | 26.0 Brix, 3.80 pH and .33 TA |
Wahluke Slope | ||||
Hestia | Merlot | Stone Tree | 9/24 | |
Hard Row to Hoe | Merlot | Riverbend | 9/29 | 24.8 Brix |
Brian Carter | Tempranillo | Stone Tree | 9/30 | |
Kyra | Dolcetto | Purple Sage | 10/1 | |
Tildio | Merlot | Weinbau | 10/4 | |
Substance | Malbec | Stone Tree | 10/4 | |
L’Ecole No. 41 | Cabernet | Stone Tree | 10/5 | |
Columbia Valley | ||||
Rasa Vineyards | Merlot | Dionysus | 9/25 | |
Novelty Hill | Chardonnay | Stillwater Creek | 9/30 | |
Olympic Cellars | Syrah | Sagemoor | 10/1 | |
CZ Cellars | Riesling | Bacchus | 10/2 | 23.7 brix, 0.86 acid, 2.91 pH. |
Gorman Winery | Chardonnay | Conner Lee | 10/5 | |
L’Ecole No. 41 | Chardonnay | Bacchus | 10/5 | |
Horse Heaven Hills | ||||
Robert Karl | Malbec | McKinley Springs | 9/29 | Excellent balance & flavor |
Robert Karl | Merlot | Andrews HH Ranch | 10/1 | Excellent balance & flavor |
Col Solare | Merlot | Coyote Canyon | 10/2 | |
Syncline Wine | Syrah | McKinley Springs | 10/4 | This may be the finest syrah harvested from these guys yet. |
Hestia | Syrah | Andrews Ranch | 10/6 | Block 12 |
Robert Karl | Cab Franc | Phinny Hill | 10/7 | |
Hestia | Syrah | Andrews Ranch | 10/8 | Tablas Creek clone |
Rattlesnake Hills | ||||
NH Vines | Tempranillo | Two Coyote | 9/30 | 26 Brix, 3.3 pH |
DiStefano | Sauvignon Blanc | Roza Hills | 10/8,9 | Brix:23.5 pH:3.20 TA:0.70 its perfect! |
| | | | |
Snipes Mountain | ||||
NA | Gewurz | Upland | 9/29 | |
NA | Syrah | Upland | 9/30 | |
NA | Pinot Gris | Upland | 10/1 | Through 10/4 |
NA | Grenache | Upland | 10/1 | 26.5+ brix |
Rolling Bay | Syrah | Upland | 10/2 | |
NA | Chardonnay | Upland | 10/4 | |
NA | Syrah | Upland | 10/4 | Also 10/5, 10/6 |
NA | Merlot | Upland | 10/5 | |
Lake Chelan | ||||
Hard Row to Hoe | Orange Muscat | Lake Chelan | 9/28 | 25.2 Brix |
Vin du Lac | Gewurztraminer | Michaela's | 9/29 | Small clusters |
Vin du Lac | Sauvignon Blanc | Michaela’s | 9/30 | |
Hard Row to Hoe | Pinot Noir | Cortelli Vineyard | 10/1 | 24.8 Brix. 1 week behind last year |
Vin du Lac | Pinot Gris | Lehm | 10/2 | |
Tildio | Chardonnay Pinot Gris Merlot Syrah Tempranillo | Estate | TBD | Week of 10/4 |
Strawberies? Harvesting stawberries in October in Washington state, great for us! Merlotman......:) Sean make some wine! :)
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