2002 Napa Valley Vintage
April frost, a late-May rain through Merlot bloom, then a long mild summer and a fast, compressed harvest that ran six to eight weeks instead of the usual eight to ten.
Several vineyards saw frost in April. Unexpected rain hit Merlot in the northern valley during late-May bloom and cost a little fruit, though it also thinned a potentially over-large Merlot crop and gave the vines moisture going into summer. Summer was long and mild, with warm days and cool to cold nights after July veraison. A few manageable heat spikes in late September and early October sped harvest to a close. Sparkling picking began August 13, and by October 15 only about five percent of the crop was still to be picked.
Growing season
The 2002 growing season began with several vineyards experiencing frost in April. Then, in late May, Merlot in the northern portion of the valley was blooming when unexpected rain arrived and caused a bit of loss. The May rain also helped thin a potentially over-large Merlot crop while giving the vines a solid shot of moisture going into summer. Monthly rainfall was 0.43 inches in April and 1.49 in May. After veraison in July, the Napa Valley Vintners described growing conditions as truly ideal, with warm days and cool, even cold, nights. Summer stayed long and mild, and the only heat came as a few manageable spikes in late September and early October, which sped harvest to a close. Picking started earlier than is typical. Sparkling wineries began bringing in fruit on August 13, and Sauvignon Blanc in the mid-valley started August 17. The whole run was compressed. Frank Leeds, vineyard manager for Frog's Leap and Long Meadow Ranch, said "Normally we'd be picking for eight to ten weeks. This year it's been six to eight weeks." As of October 15, the bulk of the harvest was just about complete with about five percent of the crop left to pick, and makers of botrytis wines were likely to begin in late October, with picking likely to continue through Thanksgiving.
- Several vineyards experienced frost in April
- Unexpected rain during late-May Merlot bloom in the northern valley caused some loss but thinned an over-large Merlot crop
- After July veraison, conditions were warm by day and cool to cold at night
- A few manageable heat spikes in late September and early October sped harvest to a close
- Sparkling harvest began August 13 and mid-valley Sauvignon Blanc on August 17, earlier than typical
- Harvest ran six to eight weeks against a normal eight to ten, with about five percent of the crop still to be picked on October 15
- Harvest started earlier than is typical, with sparkling wineries bringing in fruit from August 13 and mid-valley Sauvignon Blanc picking starting August 17
- Several vineyards experienced frost in April
- Unexpected rain during late-May Merlot bloom in the northern valley caused some loss, but also thinned a potentially over-large Merlot crop and gave vines moisture going into summer
- Summer was long and mild with only a few manageable heat spikes in late September and early October, which sped harvest to a close
- After July veraison, conditions were warm by day and cool, even cold, at night
- Harvest was compressed: Frank Leeds, vineyard manager for Frog's Leap and Long Meadow Ranch, said "Normally we'd be picking for eight to ten weeks. This year it's been six to eight weeks."
- Per-acre tonnage was generally lower than average, while the overall appellation yield was average to above average because replanted acreage was newly bearing
Yields and the crop
Per-acre tonnage in 2002 was generally lower than average, but the overall yield of the entire Napa Valley appellation came in at average to above average because replanted acreage was newly bearing. Some of the drop was deliberate. Frank Leeds said that in some Cabernet vineyards they dropped two tons of fruit per acre over the course of the summer. Growers green suckered or pruned shoots and leaves a bit more often than normal to concentrate flavor. Dawnine Dyer of Dyer Vineyards, then president of the Napa Valley Vintners Association, said glut is not a word she would use to describe the situation. She also noted that a cluster of grapes in the southern Carneros region experiences significantly different degrees of fog, sunlight, wind and precipitation than a cluster high on Spring Mountain, mid-valley.
- Per-acre tonnage was generally lower than average while the appellation total came in average to above average, thanks to newly bearing replanted acreage
- In some Cabernet vineyards, two tons of fruit per acre were dropped over the summer
- Growers green suckered and pruned shoots and leaves more often than normal to concentrate flavor
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See the Pivot+- 2002 began with frost in several Napa vineyards in April, followed by unexpected rain during late-May Merlot bloom in the northern valley that cost some fruit but thinned an over-large Merlot crop.
- Summer was long and mild with warm days and cool to cold nights after July veraison; the only heat came as a few manageable spikes in late September and early October.
- Harvest started earlier than typical, with sparkling picking from August 13 and mid-valley Sauvignon Blanc from August 17, and ran a compressed six to eight weeks instead of the usual eight to ten.
- Per-acre tonnage was generally below average, but the whole appellation came in average to above average because replanted acreage was newly bearing.
- Dawnine Dyer of Dyer Vineyards, then Napa Valley Vintners Association president, rejected the term glut and noted the climatic gap between Carneros and Spring Mountain within a single vintage.
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