Napa, Calif. -- As harvest heads for its midpoint, wineries throughout the west predict slightly lower yields than last year, but exceptional quality. Rebounding from last year's big crop, vines are a bit stingy with their fruit, but the mostly cool weather has created storybook conditions. Even a heat spike around Labor Day couldn't compare to those of many past years, and the grapes soon rebounded.

Napa County

In Napa Valley, Michael Silacci of Opus One in Oakville summed up the situation many other winemakers report, "The heatwave that began at the end of August and rolled into the first part of September almost knocked the wind out of our vines. Given that the season up to that point had been picture perfect, the vines were able to tolerate the high temperatures and low relative humidity. Grape berries shrunk a bit, a few permanently, but they have largely bounced back and are ready to provide the elements of a great vintage."

He expects yields to be down 10% to 15% from the winery's original estimate, consistent with other wineries.

Craig Williams, the winemaker at Joseph Phelps Vineyards in St. Helena, agrees, "Things look good. The heat of the last two weeks caught everyone off guard, but it's been yet another mild growing season." The usual fog wasn't there in August, however. "Sugar is a little higher than we prefer, but there was more warmth in the nights, so that improved the flavors." He says it's a fairly light crop.

Winemaker Janet Myers at Franciscan in Rutherford notes that harvest 2006 started Sept. 19, while this year it began August 10. "Our first grapes, Sauvignon Blanc from Rutherford, came in two-and-a-half weeks ago, with luscious lemongrass and lychee flavors." This time last year, the estate Chardonnay in Carneros wasn't ready to pick until Sept 20. This year, Franciscan began picking Chardonnay over Labor Day weekend.

Myers sees maturity two weeks ahead of the 2006 vintage, and around one week ahead of normal across all varieties. Oakville Bordeaux varietals look very promising, with a lower crop than last year, and small loose clusters.

Winemaker Genevieve Janssens says Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville has finished picking its Sauvignon Blanc from To Kalon and Wappo Hill. "The weather is very cooperative. We have seen cooler temperatures this week, in the 80s. Pinot Noir from Carneros will be mature shortly. Cabernet Sauvignon is maturing at a slow pace, and should be ready for the end of September.

She adds, "The lack of rain in spring helped the vines balance the crop and the canopy."

Also in Oakville, Garen Staglin of Staglin Vineyards says the year has been a little like 2004, with heat at the end bringing accelerated maturity. "The crop size and quality are excellent. The sugars and flavors are coming in together."

He's brought in his Sangiovese and a little Cabernet; he would have been crushing Saturday but the winery was the scene for the Music Festival for Mental Health, and the cave winery was full of guests.

In outlying Pope Valley, Norm Alumbaugh of Eagle & Rose Winery says he's brought in all his Sauvignon Blanc, and a little Syrah. "This is the first year we've gone to night harvesting, and it makes a tremendous difference in the fruit," in his hot region. The harvest is a few weeks earlier than usual, but Cab is still a week away.

In nearby Chiles Valley, Charlotte Williamson of Dalraddy Vineyards says the Sauvignon Blanc yield has been 20% below average, and came in almost two-and-a-half weeks early. She has also started picking Zinfandel. She expects the Cabernet and Petite Sirah in a couple of weeks. "The quality is outstanding; other than the last heat spike, it's been good growing conditions."

Sonoma County

In Sonoma, winemaker Steve Reeder says Simi Winery started its 131st harvest on Aug. 21, one of the earliest in recent memory, with Pinot Gris in the Russian River Valley, Goldfield, at 21.6º Brix, 9.2 g/l acid and low pH, assuring crisp, bright, citrus tinged flavors.

Roger Roessler of Roessler Cellars says about 40% to 45% of his vineyards in Sonoma Valley have been picked, but other vineyards in Anderson Valley, Mendocino, Sonoma Coast and Santa Barbara are still hanging. He says yields are down slightly.

At Alexander Valley Vineyards, Andrew Fegelman says picking started Aug. 24 with Pinot Noir, and the winery is now picking other varieties. "It's a little bit down in yield, but a great season overall."

At Amphora Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, owner/winemaker Rick Hutchinson says, "Thank God for the last five days of cool weather. Now it's not just the sugars rising, but the acid and pH leveling out." He's picked about 25% of his Zinfandel and Sangiovese from Dry Creek, but is 10 days to two weeks from picking Russian River Pinot. He expects the Pinot to be down 20%, Zinfandel 15%.

Sacramento Delta

Clay Shannon is a grower in Lake County who also manages vineyards in the Sacramento Valley. He's almost done picking in the Sacramento Delta, where he says crops are about 10% to 20% higher than usual.

Lake County

In Lake County, Chardonnay is off 25% to 30%, because of a lack of water, but Shannon says his Sauvignon Blanc brought in a heavy crop, 15% above normal. Because of the light rains during the winter, he started irrigating early, and that helped a bit. He's picked some grapes, but most are yet to come.

Mendocino County

Paul Dolan of Mendocino Wine Company says harvest started Saturday with Grenache. "It looks like a moderate harvest overall. Chardonnay is light, while Zinfandel is average and Cabernet and Merlot good." He adds, "It's been mild, almost perfect weather."

Monterey County

On the Central Coast in Monterey County, Jason Smith of Paraiso Vineyards, who also manages vineyards up and down Salina Valley, says, "We're currently in a hu rry up and wait mode. The Pinot Grigio is finished, but nothing else is ready. It looks like it all will come in at once starting next week."

He says that oddly enough, all the vineyards seem to be keeping in step, whether Cabernet from warm Hames Valley to Pinot from cool Santa Lucia Highlands. He adds that Chardonnay is 15% to 20% below normal. "That's okay. It will pay the bills and make the off-season much more interesting," presumably without the worry of excess wine on the market.

Also in Monterey, winemaker Scott Kelley at Estancia sees quite a few varieties ripening all at once: Pinot Noir from Pinnacles Ranch, Sauvignon Blanc from Monterey and Paso Robles, and Merlot and Zinfandel at Keyes Canyon.

Paso Robles

At the Paso Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, winemaker Chris Todd says Zinfandel is ripening fast, as is Petite Sirah.

Santa Barbara County

In Santa Maria, Nicholas Miller, the owner of Bien Nacido Vineyards, has picked Pinot Grigio plus some Pinot Noir from Sullivan Hills Vineyard, but most of the Pinot is still a week out. Crops are light both in Santa Maria and at his Paso Robles French Camp Vineyard. Picking is about half finished in Paso Robles.

He notes that the Chardonnay crop is very light. "It could significantly affect the bulk market." He adds, "It's been a picture perfect year. The quality is superb, and we haven't had rot issues like last year, or heat spikes to fry the grapes."

John Falcone at Rusack Estate Vineyards in Santa Ynez also gets grapes from Santa Maria. "A little Pinot Noir is trickling in from Santa Maria, and the Sauvignon Blanc is doing the same here." He feels it will be a normal crop.

In cool Santa Rita Hills, Chad Melville reports that he's not picking yet. "The grapes are slowly ripening." He thinks yields will be a little light.

San Benito County

In San Benito County, Alessio Corti, the winemaker and vineyard manager at Pietra Santa, has started picking Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, but says the grapes are ripening slowly. He hasn't picked reds yet. "The production is down, but quality is high." He attributes the drop in yield to an exceptionally cold winter, which kept buds from flowering. It also resulted in small canopies and more balanced berries.

Oregon

The report from Oregon is short, as growers haven't started picking yet. Winemaker Melissa Burr at Stoller Vineyards in Dundee Hills expects to start the last week in September. "It's been an average to cool growing season. We've had lower heat unit readings this year in August than usual."

Sheila Nicholas at Nicholas Vineyard in Chehalem Mountains is more emphatic: "It was a dismal August, cold and miserable." Fortunately, the weather has improved.

In Umpqua Valley, Terry Brandborg of Brandborg Vineyards and Winery reports being about 10 days from bringing fruit, with Viognier likely to be first. "I don't even think we had complete veraison until near the end of August," he complains. He adds that last year was a big year, so he expects this one to be down a bit.

Washington

In Washington, winemaker Doug Gore of Ste. Michelle says picking started a few weeks ago. Chardonnay started last week. "It's coming in with good flavors, without the need to hang in and get sky-high sugars as in some years." The Cabernets from Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain are earlier this year.

And in Walla Walla, Norm McKibben of Pepper Bridge Winery, who also farms a lot of vineyards, says harvest started a week ago with Seven Hills Vineyard, but won't be going until Thursday at Pepper Bridge. "The crop levels look good, but nights have cooled down a bit and the Brix hasn't moved."