The 2023 vintage seems to be joining many of the past vintages for being another strange year. There are few if any blocks on Spring Mountain that have finished veraison, let alone mature enough to even think about harvesting. Spring Mountain Vineyard is still waiting for their Sauvignon Blanc to flavor up. Andy Schweiger’s Pinot Noir is also in a holding pattern. Not until this coming weekend will we see some much-needed warmth for our grapes.
While many of us thought we might start harvest on the mountain by mid-September, that’s starting to look doubtful. Additionally, many of us are feeling harvest may go very late into the fall’s cool weather and that has us very concerned.
Written by Stuart Smith, Smith-Madrone Winery, published in Napa Valley Register