It’s early days with many grape varieties across California still in the ripening stage.
Californians may be thankful to have avoided the kind of devastating frost and hail that has afflicted their European counterparts this year; albeit a ‘freak’ hailstorm did hit the Napa area on 11 June and there have been record-breaking heatwaves across the US west coast in recent weeks, similar to those in Europe.
Winter rain in Napa helped end several years of drought in Napa but also ‘led to a lot of vine vigour’, said trade body Napa Valley Vintners.
‘One vintner described his vines as being quite frisky this year.’
Video from this morning’s pick in Napa County. A Pinot block for sparkling being harvested. pic.twitter.com/7N9OooTCMT
— Bill Swindell (@BillSwindell) August 7, 2017