2017 Napa Valley Vintage Chart
2017 Napa Valley Vintage
Mother Nature throws curve balls; winemakers catch them
The year began with abundant rainfall, followed by a mild Spring resulting in extended flowering with little shatter. A Labor Day weekend heatwave kicked harvest into high gear, then cool weather allowed sugar levels to return to normal. By October 8 nearly 90 percent of the 2017 grape tonnage was in when warm, fierce winds fueled an unprecedented firestorm. Napa Valley’s winemakers remain committed to upholding the region’s reputation for making some of the world’s finest wines and early articles about the 2017 vintage describe the wines with words such as “finesse,” “great complexity of flavor” and “elegant.”
Vintage Quotes
“Though the vintage was a tricky one to manage, it was still anticipated to be of excellent overall quality.” – – Virginie Boone, WineEnthusiast.com
“…the 2017 vintage yielded a number of exceptional wines.” – – Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com
Related Articles
– How California’s 2017 Vintages Prevailed Virginie Boone, WineEnthusiast.com
Vintage Chart
Vintage Videos
Overview of the 2017 vintage from Napa Valley
Moment to Reflect
Weeks have come and gone, and the close of this year’s harvest is upon us. The usual cheering, end of harvest get-togethers and general excitement have been replaced with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. The recent wildfires came right as harvest was wrapping up for many in the valley, with an estimated 90% of the Read the full article…
Harvest Huddle with Doug Hill
Doug Hill brought us up the mountain (even though you can’t see it) to introduce us to his crew picking Malbec grapes deep into the night. Night Harvesting is easier on the crew, ensures nice cool fruit coming into the winery, and is a really interesting thing to watch.
Harvest Huddle with Ashley Anderson-Bennett and Christopher Howell
In our fourth “Harvest Huddle” video, we headed up Spring Mountain to visit Ashley Anderson-Bennett and Christopher Howell at Cain. These two wanted to discuss how often the vines are touched throughout the year. Growing great wine grapes requires boots in the vineyard and hands on the vine!
Back in the Saddle Again
This harvest season has given us our fair share of ups and downs weather-wise. It might sound like a broken record, but Mother Nature is keeping us active. Last week’s dip in temperatures slowed down the progress of harvest for most throughout the valley, but the silver lining for producers was the ability to catch Read the full article…
