Coombsville,
the latest Napa Valley AVA to gain Federal approval for use as an official
appellation, was also among the latest to finish the remarkably early 2015
harvest. As of October 14, virtually all Coombsville grapes have been
harvested. Reports from members of the Coombsville Vintners and Growers
Association tell of early picking, yields upwards of 50% below normal, along
with outstanding concentration of flavors.
“Dry, hot and early are
the three adjectives that describe the 2015 growing season. Bud set was
early. A hot summer then drove a small, concentrated, early crop.
Francis Vineyards harvested September 22nd, a month earlier than the norm over
the last 5 years. While yields were down 35% from 2014, quality appears
to be outstanding.” Rob Francis,
proprietor of Francis Vineyard
“We completed the
harvest of our Coombsville vineyard on October 1, a good three weeks earlier
than normal. The cluster count was fairly close to normal but the berry weight
was much lighter delivering a yield down by 35%. The quality is excellent which
we attribute to Coombsville cooler environment.” Harry Parsley, Proprietor, Silver Stag
Winery
“This year’s harvest was
the earliest in my 16 years in Coombsville. We completed our harvest on
September 30th. We normally pick our Cabernet Sauvignon at the end of October
and this year we were one month early. Our old block had a lot of shatter
yielding 50% of our normal crop and yielding 1.5 tons per acre. The quality
however looks great.” Paul Maroon,
Proprietor, Maroon Wines.
“In the 15 years we have
grown Cabernet Sauvignon on our First Avenue site we have never harvested this
early. However, our vintners clients are happy with the quality, as
expressed by one who said, ‘The quality thus far is exceptional with sugars
higher than in years past.’ Yields are down about 25% from last year.” Richard Bennett, Proprietor, Bennett
Vineyards
“We harvested all of our
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Meritage grapes on September 19, a full 5 weeks
ahead of our normal picking dates of around Halloween! Overall, grape tonnage
is light due to the "shatter" that was experienced in June. We saw
40-50% below normal yields. However, quality is extremely high with
wonderful color, aromas and flavors.” Rebecca Sciandri Griffin, Sciandri Family
Vineyards.
"We harvested our Coombsville vineyards very early this year due
largely to 2015 being exceedingly warm. However, this is what we normally deal
with in California—heat, dry conditions and nearly no water. This year we saw
the real benefit of Coombsville's cooler climate. The wine from the 2015
Coombsville harvest is very concentrated and very good—but I had to work hard
for it this year." Julien Fayard, Co-Owner, Covert Estate.
"Growing grapes in
the cooler Coombsville AVA can sometimes feel like a lonely job. Over a month
ago my fellow Napa Valley vintners celebrated the beginning of harvest…but my
grapes in Coombsville were only 23° brix. Stopping by the winemaking supply
house and chatting with my fellow vintners they exclaim they are 90% “in”,
while I hadn’t even started yet. Showing up at the wine lab to drop off test
samples, I find they are closed early since ‘harvest is over,’ but I still have
two vineyards hanging! In all, we finished harvest in Coombsville on October 8,
nearly three weeks earlier than normal. Yields were down 20% due to very tiny
berries and fewer of them. However, the color is a magnificent inky blue in the
reds and great concentration is the hallmark of our Coombsville 2015 vintage.” Tracy Riechow, Black Cat Vineyard.
The
Coombsville AVA is located in the southeast corner of Napa Valley directly east
of the town of Napa. It was approved as an official American Viticultural Area
in December 2011. For more information about the Coombsville AVA seewww.coombsvillenapa.com.