So you have a dream of someday planting a vineyard? There’s no doubt that this is a particularly appealing fantasy, especially this time of year when vineyards are ablaze with autumnal colors and the sun shines down on juicy, ripe grapes that are being gathered up by 
happy, carefree grape pickers. Right?
This cheerful image is actually more wine country marketing than the way things really are. The more likely truth is that harvest is often fraught with tension and all manner of worries. Will my entire crop be wiped out by hail? Will voracious birds swoop down and devour most of my grapes (talk to any citizen in migratory wine regions such as Long Island if you want to know what a menace hungry birds can be)? Will late rains dilute the juice, or are extraordinary heat waves going to cause the vines to shut down? What about powdery mildew, molds, freakishly early frost, or random wildfires that might give my grapes smoke taint?
With unpredictable weather patterns becoming the new norm everywhere in the world, I feel even greater pangs of sympathy for vineyardists as I read through some of the harvest reports that are coming in. In Washington state, for example, harvest began anywhere from one to two or more weeks later than usual, and estimates are that the 2011 crop could be down 15% or more due to an unusual freeze in November last year that caused serious damage to many vines. The 2011 growing year was notably cool until July, when temperatures shot up across the state and grape maturation accelerated. Thankfully, it never got scorchingly hot, with fewer 100-plus degree days than average in eastern Washington, which many think was a boon since vines often shut down in extreme heat.
The downside is that cooler temperatures can result in more mold in the vineyard throughout the growing season (several Washington growers privately believe that the mold is worse than any time in recent history: “It’s a good year to have stock in chemical companies,” one of them observed wryly). On the plus side, acidity levels seem to be better balanced than last year, when acid levels tended to be too high according to many wine growers. “This growing season will be challenging for anyone…who does not have a lot of tank capacity, as the harvest season will be fast and furious,” says Long Shadows winemaker Gilles Nicault
The Golden State has had its share of problems this year as northern California experienced unusually chilly weather and steady rains during much of the growing season. Crop loads have been greatly affected by this unfamiliar phenomenon. “Our Sauvignon Blanc yield is 60% of normal,” says Charles Krug Winery’s Peter Mondavi Jr. “We do expect other varieties to be light, but hopefully not this light.” If there is a bright side to this pattern, Lee Hudson, of Hudson Vineyards describes the harvest of Pinot Noir grapes destined for sparkling wine production: “It’s late, light and very tasty.” The grapes are “historically small,” he says, “resulting in low yields and incredible concentration.”
In New York, the harvest began during the warm, sunny days of early September, fueling feelings of optimism for another vintage as splendid as 2010. But then came Hurricane Irene, followed by Tropical Storm Lee, each of which dumped way too much water on vineyards across the state. As the harvest moves forward, however, some New York vintners express a sense of cautious hopefulness. Several Long Islanders, for example, report that thanks to very high summer temperatures sugar levels tend to be fairly high.
Meanwhile, in England, a rare October Indian Summer is said to be leading to a “vintage to be treasured.” Guy Tresman, of Chapel Down Wines notes that sugar levels are up, while acidity–often the plague of cool climate viticulture—is reduced thanks to the unexpected sunshine. “Last year picking took place in lashing rain, today they’re all out in tee-shirts.”
Well, as the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, a non-profit marketing and lobbying organization, reminds us: “Wine is farming, and Nature is in charge. That, in fact, is why wine labels contain vintage dates.”
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