2010
With the ground charged with an El Nino driven winter, ample water supply, and gradually climbing springtime temperatures, the overall growing season leading up to the 2010 harvest was intensely promising. As we marched toward go-time, the reality of 2010 being an unseasonably cool year was realized, with dramatic excitement pursuing each step.
During bloom in select viticulture areas, inconsistent day and night time temperatures posed fruit-set challenges, resulting in low yields. August started out unseasonably cool with day time temperatures hovering around low 70s. Then, by the third week a 100F degree heat spike gave any exposed fruit sunburn. Any exposed fruit was dropped. Lower yields.
September 10th kicked off the first pick of the season for Radio-Coteau. Cooler weather intertwined with a few heat waves allowed for full flavor development at lower sugars, paving the way for bright acidity, balanced tannin, deep color, and lower alcohol in the finished wines. As the latter part of the season approached, winegrowers patiently waited for summer to arrive. The month of October along the Sonoma coast posed a different story for some later ripening varietals. The beginning of the month started out with cooler temps, followed by intermittent weather patterns. The site location and microclimate determined the harvesting fate for most coastal sites in 2010.
This years harvest yielded cooler conditions, of which the Northern Californian region has not seen in quite some time. And, while challenging, the vintage will produce some very exciting and vibrant wines.
