Unseasonable cold weather and heavy rain causes concern amongst Sonoma growers
Unseasonably cold weather and heavy downpours in Sonoma county in California are causing some concern amongst wine producers.
Some of the earliest varietals are already in flower, and grape growers are worried that undue moisture at this point in the growing cycle could shrink the crop.
“This is one of those things you just have to sit back and hope it’s not a problem,” Joe Nielsen, director of winemaking at Ram’s Gate Winery in Somoma told Fox KTVU. "No impact on wine quality, just possible impact on yield, but it's agriculture so we have no control. We just want no weather, boring weather during flowering is preferred.”
But with conditions more akin to mid-winter than mid-May, producers are having to sit it out. The growing season got off to a late start because of lingering winter weather, then April heat provided a jump-start, and now rain hass put everything on pause again.
Every cloud, however, has a silver lining, and the cold is ensuring that mould isn’t a problem. It’s also early enough in the growing cycle that only a few varietals are in the decliate flowering stage.
"Unless we can invent large umbrellas to put over vineyards, there's nothing we can do," said Nielsen, "but this is agriculture and what makes wine exciting."
It will be several weeks before vintners know if the harsh weather has caused the grape clusters to shatter.