2016
The rainfall California received in early 2016 was a welcome return back to normalcy following years of historic drought conditions. The mild summer gave the grapes slightly longer time on the vine and allowed us to pick the fruit at optimal physiological maturity. Yields increased from 2015, while the quality remained high and the wines are showing an exuberant personality.
After the 2015 harvest, the 2016 winter forecast was for a record El Niño year. By the end of December we had already received nearly 18 inches of rain at the Estate vineyard above Occidental. The soil remained saturated and local flooding became an issue as each storm brought with it several inches of rain. Yet the ominous forecasts of torrential rainfall didn’t last long, and Sonoma County ended up with a perfectly average amount of rainfall. Still, that average rainfall was a relief from the past four years of unseasonably dry winters.
The warm spring allowed for an early bud break at most of our West County sites. As early as the end of February and beginning of March, tender green leaves were slowly emerging from their winter dormancy. The warm conditions continued, and we skirted a frost-free spring. After a successful bloom came some light rains in May, yet sun-filled mornings led to healthy canopy growth. Managing this growth was a persistent exercise as we headed into the warmer summer months. Dramatic cooling happened during the middle of August, and the nights got chilly and the morning fog returned. We embraced some hang time, with complex flavor development unaccompanied by higher sugars.
We began harvesting Pinot Noir on August 20th with Hallberg in Sebastopol and Savoy vineyard up in Philo, and Alberigi and Laguna were right behind. We harvested our inaugural Pinot from the Estate vineyard on the 2nd and 3rd days of September. In a swift start to harvest, all the Pinot was picked by September 8th. Chardonnay came in immediately after most of the Pinot Noir, and the Syrah and Zinfandel were in by the last week of September.
The 2016 growing season was nearly ideal. The weather was favorable during harvest, and we picked all our fruit before the first rains in early October. Yields were back to average after 2015’s reduced crop, and the overall quality of the fruit has been very exciting. There’s an inherent energy to the wines that’s reminiscent of the concentrated 2015 vintage, yet with a more feminine spirit. There’s a natural balance to these wines that make them approachable in their youth, with an elegant tannin profile and vibrant acidity that offer excellent cellaring potential.
