1987 Sonoma Vintage

The 1987 growing season in California, including Sonoma County, was defined by the onset of a prolonged drought. Cool, dry weather early in the season suppressed budburst and flowering, setting the stage for significantly reduced crop sizes. Mid-summer heat spikes compounded matters, further shrinking berry and cluster size. By the time harvest arrived, the fruit was small but intensely concentrated. However, a heatwave during harvest created pressure on growers to pick quickly, as delayed picking risked overripe, low-acid fruit. Producers who timed harvest well were rewarded with structured, age-worthy wines.

• Cool, dry spring suppressed budburst and flowering, reducing yields before the summer even began
• Mid-summer heat spikes further concentrated fruit by shrinking berry and cluster size
• Harvest-time heatwave created urgency, rewarding attentive growers who moved quickly
• Drought conditions produced small, intensely flavored berries well suited to age-worthy Cabernet and Zinfandel

Sonoma's diversity of AVAs expressed the vintage in distinct ways. Dry Creek Valley, already established as an AVA in 1983 and renowned for Zinfandel, benefited from the drought-concentrated old vines planted by historic producers such as Pedroncelli, Preston Vineyards, and Dry Creek Vineyard. Russian River Valley's Pinot Noir producers, most notably Williams Selyem, demonstrated that the appellation could produce wines of serious depth and longevity. Carneros, with its cooler maritime influence, produced crisp, structured Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while warmer Sonoma Valley floor vineyards tended toward riper, earlier-maturing styles.

• Dry Creek Valley: drought-concentrated Zinfandel from old-vine sites stood out for intensity and structure
• Russian River Valley: Williams Selyem and other small producers captured benchmark Pinot Noir quality
• Carneros: cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir showed characteristic restraint and acidity
• Sonoma Valley floor sites: riper, more accessible styles that matured relatively early

The vintage's most historically significant moment came not from the 1987 harvest itself but from a pivotal 1987 event: Williams Selyem's 1985 Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir won the California State Fair Sweepstakes Prize for top red wine, besting 2,136 wines from 416 wineries. This catapulted the small Russian River Valley producer to national prominence and demand immediately exceeded supply. Wine Spectator's Matt Kramer subsequently called Williams Selyem the best Pinot Noir producer in California. Sonoma-Cutrer's Russian River Ranches Chardonnay continued to build its reputation as a benchmark for California Chardonnay, while Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel producers such as Pedroncelli and A. Rafanelli demonstrated the concentration achievable from old-vine fruit in a drought year.

• Williams Selyem 1985 Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir won California State Fair Sweepstakes in 1987, besting 2,136 wines from 416 wineries
• Demand for Williams Selyem wines exceeded supply for the first time in 1987, prompting the creation of a waiting list
• Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay (first released 1981) continued its rise as a restaurant benchmark
• Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel from established producers like Pedroncelli and A. Rafanelli showed the vintage's concentration

At nearly four decades of age, most 1987 Sonoma wines have moved well past their peak drinking windows. Wine-Searcher notes that while many of the wines from this vintage are likely past their best, top examples of California Cabernet Sauvignon may still be drinking well for those with proper cellaring and provenance. Zinfandel, by its nature, matures faster than Cabernet, and most 1987 Sonoma Zinfandels are unlikely to offer much pleasure today unless stored under ideal conditions. Collectors seeking 1987 California bottles for birth-year or anniversary purposes are advised that provenance is paramount, and only the finest Cabernet examples hold genuine upside.

• Most 1987 Sonoma wines are at or past peak; serious collector interest is now limited to top Cabernet examples with impeccable provenance
• 1987 Zinfandel: almost certainly past its best given the variety's typical aging trajectory
• 1987 Pinot Noir: unlikely to retain freshness at this age regardless of producer or provenance
• 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon from the best producers: the only remaining candidate for current drinking, provided storage has been ideal

The 1987 vintage is remembered in Sonoma not just for the wines it produced, but for the broader context it shaped. The season reinforced the relationship between drought, low yields, and concentrated fruit that would define California's best vintages over the following decades. The year also marked a turning point for Sonoma's reputation: the Williams Selyem California State Fair triumph in 1987 put the Russian River Valley on the national map for Pinot Noir and demonstrated that small, garage-scale producers could compete at the highest levels. Journalists across the trade declared 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988 the best four consecutive vintages of the decade, cementing Sonoma's rising stature alongside Napa Valley.

• Drought dynamics of 1987 foreshadowed the quality pattern that California winemakers would come to embrace in subsequent dry vintages
• Williams Selyem's 1987 breakthrough helped establish Russian River Valley as California's foremost Pinot Noir appellation
• Industry observers declared 1985 through 1988 the best consecutive run of California vintages in the decade
• Dry Creek Valley's strong showing in 1987 reinforced Zinfandel as Sonoma's signature red variety alongside emerging Pinot Noir