2001 Sonoma Vintage

The season started with rain in late February, followed by a frost in April, then a very hot May and June, with another heat spike in July. Temperatures cooled in August and evened out as harvest got underway, allowing additional hang time. An unexpected storm hit in late September, dumping as much as an inch of rain in some places, followed by another hot spike in October. Nick Frey, executive director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers, reported the late rain did not create much bunch rot or affect the harvest. Harvest in Sonoma County began in mid to late August and was mostly wrapped up by 15 October, with Geyser Peak Winery starting earlier than most, on 10 August. Growers hit hardest by the spring frost had yields down as much as 50 percent, and Merlot seemed to take the biggest hit. Most Sonoma County winemakers expected yields to be lower than in 2000.

• Rain in late February, frost in April, a very hot May and June, and a heat spike in July
• Cooler, even temperatures from August gave the grapes additional hang time
• A late-September storm brought as much as an inch of rain in places, then another hot spike in October
• Harvest ran from mid to late August to about 15 October; frost-hit growers had yields down as much as 50 percent

Many observers called 2001 a "roller coaster vintage," prompted by an early frost, a hot summer turning cool, and red varieties that "refuse to ripen." Bob Iantosca, winemaker for Gloria Ferrer in Carneros, said many grapes were coming into the winery with lower ripeness levels than sampled. As harvest wound down, quality was rated very good to excellent, and most agreed 2001 was similar to 1999, not as good as 1997 but better than 2000. Most winemakers named Zinfandel the premier variety of the year. Jeff McBride of Dry Creek Vineyard said Zinfandel "threw a big second crop this year; small berries, with good intense flavors and great balance," and described the 2001 Dry Creek Zins as juicy and bright. At Geyser Peak Winery in Alexander Valley, winemaker Mick Schroeter said, "I'm especially stunned by the Chardonnay we have fermenting in barrels, the fruit is jumping out of the glass."

• Quality rated very good to excellent as harvest wound down; similar to 1999, not as good as 1997, better than 2000
• Zinfandel was widely named the premier variety of the year
• Merlot seemed to take the biggest hit from the frost; Steve Reeder of Chateau St. Jean said this year's crop was 10 to 15 percent off estimates
• An early-October hot spell slowed botrytis on Reeder's Riesling in Alexander Valley, with picking expected in early November