By the end of this month, the 2009 grape harvest will be 99 percent over. The last grapes to be picked this month are usually Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The reports from vineyards managers, winemakers, and winery owners indicate that this will be an exceptional vintage. Nature has been kind to grapes this year. Last year frost and forest fires took their toll on many vineyards. This recent rainstorm should be okay for the thick-skinned Cabernet grapes that had not been harvested prior to the rain. This will certainly be a fun harvest to follow from now until the bottles hit the shelves.
One interesting note about this year’s harvest, some growers were not able to sell their grapes to their usual customers and many have been forced to let the grapes hang on the vine and drop on their own. The last thing wineries want in this economy is a grape glut. Word is that some wineries skipped this vintage altogether because they still had large wine inventories.