Weather  
Today

We have five days left in October and have only had 0.35 inches of rain--not unheard of, but still very dry. And, it looks like Ma Nature will hold rain until November 1, according to forecasts.

Highs have been in the 60s, lows in the mid 30s recently, crisp and clear.

A week from now has "very wet weather ahead for PacNW," but that's OK by us. Everything critical is off and in the winery; everything period will be in by then.

Harvest to-date:
Total: 283 tons
(121% of forecast)

Pinot noir: 154 tons
(125% of forecast)
Pinot gris: 63 tons
(131% of forecast)
Chardonnay: 53 tons
(118% of forecast)
Riesling: 2 tons
(33% of forecast)
Pinot blanc: 6 tons
(139% of forecast)
Gamay noir: 4 tons
(86% of forecast)

Ryan Goodwin, great help

Hoses & Barrels

Extended Harvest--Weary with Smiles

	Summer's last blush and the last of the Pinot Noir from 2002
	Marina picking some of the last Pinot
	Cheryl, Awaiting Baby and Riesling Harvest

Today we bring in the last block of Pinot noir, a high elevation block at Corral Creek with a moderate cropload that oohs and aahs with the gentle treatment this weather is giving. Since last we talked, the remaining 67 tons from Ridgecrest has been harvested, in impeccable condition and gorgeous in flavors. We have also picked small remnant blocks such as Pinot blanc from Stoller and high elevation Pinot gris.

After today, only Riesling will remain, the reserve block at Corral Creek and half of the new Stoller block. We will bring the latter home Monday and will wait on Corral Creek to harvest on the day Cheryl gives birth to Raphael. Both Rieslings are spicy, sweet and slightly botrytised.

Great help from friends like Jim Holzgraf, John Poston, Mark Lieb, John Matzinger, Wally Glass, Larry Sink, and Ryan Goodwin is gone. Leaves have almost totally yellowed, leaving dramatic flourishes and accents from a distance that will last until the first major rain. The interns working harvest at other wineries have begun making rounds to visit other wineries like ours before leaving, indicating we are as usual later than most.

	Late Night Barrel Preps, John Poston

We have all but three of our main 18 fermentors full, many of them silently macerating before they begin perking with native ferments. From this point on we will be emptying tanks, not needing to quickly caustic and sanitize so more fruit can use them. We can truck over juice pressed and stored for lack of space by our friends at Adelsheim. Extensive punchdowns and pumpovers will gradually reduce in number, one-by-one, and all of a sudden, in a cascade of dumped tanks and a sea of barrels being filled from several directions, with hoses under feet, there will be one or two pitiful fermentations holding on, like a spider trying to hold its grip before being swept down a drain.

We began harvest a month ago today. It is noticeably darker later in the mornings now, we are all wearing vests not shorts--but we still need our sunglasses in the day. And, now we can comfortably "call" the vintage excellent, how good to be determined in cellar over the wet and chilly months.

Regards,

Harry