2005 Napa Valley Vintage

2005 started the way growers want it to. The Napa Valley Vintners reported that healthy winter rains and a warm, dry spell in late March proved just right for bud break, which came in right on schedule. The chart records 6.85 inches in January, 5.7 in February and 5.42 in March. Then the rain came back in the spring: ample late-spring rains in May and June delivered as much as seven to eight inches to receptive soils, with the chart logging 4.89 inches in May and 0.68 in June. Vine health that year was partly credited to the previous season, since 2004's lower crop yields allowed the vines to store good carbohydrates for 2005. July was warm and even, temperatures in the 80s and low 100s, which dried things out nicely and continued a pattern of even growth with no stress in the vines. The back half of the season was defined by what did not happen. By the September 22 field report, daily high temperatures in the vineyard had pushed beyond 80 degrees on only five of the previous 21 days, described as a mild fall following a mild summer, both mercifully absent of the dramatic heat spells seen in recent years. Cooler September temperatures slowed sugar accumulation while acids continued to decline, and growers said they expected wines with lower alcohol levels as a result. Picking followed the season's unhurried logic. On September 22, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir were finishing up in most regions, with Riesling, Chardonnay and Merlot close behind and some growers just beginning on Cabernet. By October 12, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot harvest had begun in earnest, with some areas still weeks away and others almost finished. Wine Spectator reported that harvest came very late, with many vineyards not picked until November, which is unusual, though picked in a much shorter period than in 2004.

• Healthy winter rains and a warm, dry late March put bud break right on schedule
• Late-spring rains in May and June delivered as much as seven to eight inches to receptive soils
• Warm, even July weather in the 80s and low 100s produced even growth with no vine stress
• Only five of the 21 days before September 22 cleared 80 degrees, with no dramatic heat spells all season
• Cooler September slowed sugar while acids declined, and growers expected lower alcohol levels
• Harvest ran very late, with many vineyards unpicked until November but compressed into a shorter window than 2004

The debate at the time was whether 2005 was actually late or simply looked late next to 2004. Jon Ruel of Trefethen Vineyards took the long view in September, saying the harvest seemed late compared to years like 2004 but was not really all that late compared to older vintages. The Napa Valley Vintners made the same point in October: some were quick to label it a late start, while seasoned veterans pointed to historical data showing things were progressing right on schedule. Volume was the surprise. Wine Spectator reported the harvest was bountiful with yields that caught growers off guard, and quoted Mark Neal of Neal Family Vineyards saying the big crop came from heavier berries, not from a lack of thinning. The consequence was logistical. Many wineries ran out of fermentation tanks, leaving some vineyards unpicked. The Napa Valley Vintners flagged the same risk in their October 12 note, observing that harvests beginning in October carry a greater chance of rain and cooler evenings, and that ripeness differentiation between vineyards narrows as the season stretches, which creates tank space problems for the winery.

• Jon Ruel of Trefethen Vineyards said the harvest only looked late against 2004 and was on schedule against older vintages
• Wine Spectator reported bountiful yields that caught growers by surprise
• Mark Neal of Neal Family Vineyards credited heavier berries rather than insufficient thinning for the large crop
• Many wineries ran out of fermentation tanks and some vineyards went unpicked
• A late start narrows ripeness differences between sites, concentrating demand on tank space

These are impressions from autumn 2005, made while the fruit was still coming in. The Napa Valley Vintners' October 12 note reached for two older reference points, saying the year seemed reminiscent of both 1994 and 1991 for the length and evenness of the growing season, the start of the Cabernet Sauvignon pick, and the phenolic maturity and balance of the fruit. Wine Spectator, which graded Napa 2005 an A in its report card, wrote that the long, drawn-out harvest provided plenty of anxious moments and surprises, but that vintners were dancing in their cellars over the prospects for the year, with some predicting it could be one of Napa's finest vintages. Colgin winemaker Mark Aubert described the reds, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, as incredibly dark.

• The Napa Valley Vintners compared 2005 to 1994 and 1991 for season length, evenness and phenolic maturity
• Wine Spectator graded Napa 2005 an A and reported vintners predicting one of Napa's finest vintages
• Colgin winemaker Mark Aubert described the Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as incredibly dark
• Growers expected lower alcohol levels from the cool September and slowed sugar accumulation