2004 Sonoma Vintage
An early, short Sonoma harvest with a small crop, picked two to three weeks ahead of normal, according to Wine Spectator's 2004 report.
Wine Spectator's 2004 Vintage Report Card, the only source reached for this year, describes an early, short harvest in Sonoma County. Vintners reported somewhat milder temperatures that encouraged earlier, gradual maturation, and crush was all but wrapped up by the first week in October. The crop was small, and the magazine graded Sonoma B+, with Chateau Souverain winemaker Ed Killian flagging big tannins in the reds alongside strong Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Growing season
No Sonoma County grower or vintner harvest report was reached for 2004, so the weather picture here comes entirely from one press source: the Sonoma County section of Wine Spectator's 2004 Vintage Report Card, written by Tim Fish, plus the report's opening lines on Napa and Sonoma together. Wine Spectator summed up the vintage in both counties as "short and sweet": the harvest was early, the crop was small and the grapes ripened well. According to the report, Sonoma mirrored Napa with the crop size and the early harvest, but vintners reported somewhat milder temperatures, which generally encouraged earlier, gradual maturation. Winemakers told Wine Spectator that crush was all but wrapped up by the first week in October, two to three weeks ahead of normal. On yields, the report said the main complaint from vintners in the two counties was a crop 20 to 50 percent below normal, according to many reports. The source says nothing specific about Sonoma's winter, bud break, flowering, rainfall or any frost, heat or smoke events, so those are left out here.
- Temperatures: Sonoma vintners reported somewhat milder temperatures, which generally encouraged earlier, gradual maturation, per Wine Spectator
- Harvest: crush was all but wrapped up by the first week in October, two to three weeks ahead of normal, winemakers told Wine Spectator
- Yields: Wine Spectator reported crops 20 to 50 percent below normal across Napa and Sonoma, according to many reports, with Sonoma mirroring Napa on crop size
- Wine Spectator graded Sonoma County's 2004 vintage B+; Napa Valley received A- in the same report
- Crush was all but wrapped up by the first week in October, two to three weeks ahead of normal, winemakers told Wine Spectator
- Sonoma mirrored Napa on crop size, which Wine Spectator's report put at 20 to 50 percent below normal, according to many reports
- Sonoma vintners reported somewhat milder temperatures, which generally encouraged earlier, gradual maturation
- Chateau Souverain winemaker Ed Killian flagged big tannins in red wines across the board and spotty Cabernet, but strong Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandel
How the Varieties Fared
Wine Spectator graded Sonoma County B+ for 2004, one step below the A- it gave Napa Valley in the same report. Winemakers told the magazine that an early, short harvest with low yields generally means wines that are concentrated and intense, yet balanced, but that tannins can be an issue. Chateau Souverain winemaker Ed Killian told Wine Spectator, "There seem to be a lot of big tannins in red wines across the board this year." Killian called Cabernet spotty, with some excellent wines and some not so good, but said most other varieties fared well. He expected an extremely good Chardonnay year, rated the Merlots as good as they have ever been, certainly in Alexander Valley, and put Zinfandel on par with Merlot. He also judged Sauvignon Blanc distinctly better than in 2003.
- Cabernet: spotty, with some excellent wines and some not so good, according to Killian
- Merlot: as good as it has ever been, certainly in Alexander Valley, in Killian's view, with Zinfandel on par
- Chardonnay: Killian told Wine Spectator, "Overall, I think it will be an extremely good Chardonnay year."
- Sauvignon Blanc: distinctly better than in 2003, which Killian called "kind of a flop"
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See the Pivot+- Wine Spectator graded Sonoma 2004 B+, one step below Napa's A-, and summed up the two counties' vintage as short and sweet: an early harvest, a small crop and grapes that ripened well.
- Harvest timing: Sonoma crush was all but wrapped up by the first week in October, two to three weeks ahead of normal, per Wine Spectator.
- Yield: Wine Spectator cited many reports of crops 20 to 50 percent below normal in Napa and Sonoma; winemakers linked early, short, low-yield harvests to concentrated, intense yet balanced wines, with tannins a possible issue.
- Varietal read from Ed Killian of Chateau Souverain, via Wine Spectator: spotty Cabernet, an extremely good Chardonnay year, Merlot as good as ever in Alexander Valley, Zinfandel on par with Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc distinctly better than 2003.
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