General Wine Stuff

Some photos from California’s 2017 harvest

October 30, 2017 /

Just because California (mostly) broke its five-year drought this year did not mean it was a perfect year for growing winegrapes.  Growers dealt with devastating floods early in the season–leaving some of Lodi’s most storied vineyards submerged in water until early summer!–and an unprecedented heat spike just as harvest began, with almost two weeks of 100-plus-degree days across the state (which made for an all-hands-on-deck kind of insanity for a while with seemingly everything coming in at once).  And then there were the devastating wildfires that tore through Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa counties at the end of harvest (which reminds me–have you bought your 2018 California Wine Country calendar yet? $5 from each sale goes to fire relief in those counties).

Still, reports from across the state show that it’s been a pretty good year with a harvest that has most winemakers looking very positively on the results of the 2017 vintage.

We’ll have to wait a while longer to taste these wines, so until then enjoy some images from this year’s harvest.

Harvested grapes arrive at the winery, ready for the winemaker to work his magic.
Harvested grapes arrive at the winery, ready for the winemaker to work his magic.
A portrait of the historic Bechthold Cinsault vines
A portrait of the historic Bechthold Cinsault vines
At work before dawn for the last day of harvest at Tablas Creek
At work before dawn for the last day of harvest at Tablas Creek
No-longer-used grape boxes at Jessie's Grove Winery
No-longer-used grape boxes at Jessie’s Grove Winery
Freshly hand-harvested Grenache clusters
Freshly hand-harvested Grenache clusters
Out of the microbin, into the macrobin
Out of the microbin, into the macrobin
Hand harvesting the last of the Tannat on some of the steepest slopes at Tablas Creek.
Hand harvesting the last of the Tannat on some of the steepest slopes at Tablas Creek.
Ivy and old barn, Jessie's Grove Winery
Ivy and old barn, Jessie’s Grove Winery
Tannat clusters on vines already changing into their fall colors
Tannat clusters on vines already changing into their fall colors
Winemaker Mike McCay checks out the spent grapes fresh out of the press
Winemaker Mike McCay checks out the spent grapes fresh out of the press
Moody skies over vine in their autumn attire in west Paso Robles
Moody skies over vines in their autumn attire in west Paso Robles
Post-harvest sunset at Bokisch Vineyards
Post-harvest sunset at Bokisch Vineyards
Perfect Grenache clusters awaiting harvest
Perfect Grenache clusters awaiting harvest at Heritage Oak
Roussane drying on straw for Tablas Creek's amazing Vin de Paille
Roussane drying on straw for Tablas Creek’s amazing Vin de Paille
Evening light on the vineyards at Kukkula Winery in west Paso Robles
Evening light on the vineyards at Kukkula Winery in west Paso Robles
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