Napa winemakers praise 2015

Napa Valley’s winemakers are giving “high praise” to the 2015 vintage now that the harvest is almost over.

Vineyards in the Napa Valley (Photo: Wiki)

According to the Napa Valley Vintners Association (NVVA) quality is likely to be high but quantities are lower than average.

“Winemakers have been working hand-in-hand with vineyard crews and some are employing new technologies, like optical sorting, to ensure they are picking and crushing only the best quality grapes,” the association said. “Although it is a bit early to tell, the expectation is that the wines from the 2015 vintage will have deep, rich flavours.”

California is currently in the grip of a severe drought, receiving 75% of its normal annual precipitation this year. Winter was dry and a cool spring led to a long flowering period and slightly uneven fruit set, NVVA said, revealing that berries were small but highly concentrated.

The wildfires in California that caught the attention of the international press this summer did not affect any vineyard areas and there have been no reports of any smoke taint, it claimed.

This year’s harvest was also one of the earliest on record, with the harvest for grapes to be used in sparkling wine production starting on 22 July. Most vintners expect to finish their harvests by mid-October.