2007 Napa Valley Vintage

The year began dry, with some very cold days and single-digit nighttime temperatures around the New Year holiday, the opposite of 2006, when floods greeted the New Year. The season continued dry, with about 60 percent of normal precipitation throughout the appellation. Temperatures ran warmer than normal as winter continued into spring, bringing earlier budding, bloom and set across all varieties. Soils dried early in spring because of low precipitation, which halted canopy production early in the season. After a dry winter and a warm, dry spring, the grapes got off to an early start with a smaller crop. Early bud break carried a potential threat of frost, but there was no damage in the end. The summer growing season then ran mild to cool, with few days topping 100 degrees even in the warmest locations in the appellation, and notably fewer days in the 90s. That changed early predictions of an unusually early harvest and returned picking to a more traditional, even relaxed, pace. A brief period of heat spiked around Labor Day and cooled after several days, adding the boost of sugar development growers were looking for to complement the excellent acid structure in the white varieties. The year lacked the usual heat spikes in August and September apart from the Labor Day blast, and the weather turned cool and even chilly in September, followed by periodic rainstorms. Thin-skinned whites such as Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and then still-wine Chardonnay began in late August and continued into mid-September. Carneros Pinot Noir had an extended harvest ending in October. Cabernet was harvested with ease throughout September and October in warmer spots such as Oakville and Rutherford. In mid-October a storm front headed inland, and some winemakers were on the verge of "panic picking."

• The season ran at about 60 percent of normal precipitation, with very cold nights and a dry start around the New Year
• A warm winter into spring produced earlier budding, bloom and set across all varieties, and dried soils halted canopy production early
• Early bud break carried a potential threat of frost but caused no damage in the end
• Summer ran mild to cool with few days over 100 degrees, which changed the early-harvest forecast and relaxed the pace
• A brief Labor Day heat spike supplied the sugar development growers wanted alongside excellent acid structure in the whites
• September turned cool and chilly with periodic rainstorms, and a mid-October storm front had some winemakers on the verge of panic picking

Fruit condition in 2007 was as clean as the volume was short. Moderate weather combined with very low disease and pest pressure left the vines and the fruit in very good condition. Michael Weis of Groth Vineyards described a vintage of healthy vines, no botrytis, no raisins and long hang time. At Casa Nuestra, Riesling fruit was very clean, with lower amounts of botrytis than in previous years. The dry season showed up in size rather than health. Clusters, and the individual berries on them, though set at a normal quantity, were notably smaller in all varieties because of the dryness. Barbara Insel of MKF Research expected the harvest to come in down 5 to 10 percent in all varieties from an average year. With 2006 also down, the two-year cycle leveled out any oversupply in the market for Napa Valley appellation fruit. Remi Cohen of Merryvale Vineyards called the vintage below average in yields but of very promising quality.

• Very low disease and pest pressure left vines and fruit in very good condition
• Vines were healthy at Groth Vineyards, with no botrytis, no raisins and long hang time
• Clusters set at normal quantity but berries were notably smaller in all varieties because of the dry season
• Yields were forecast down 5 to 10 percent from an average year across all varieties
• Two consecutive down years leveled out oversupply in the market for Napa Valley appellation fruit

Pat Stotesbery of Ladera Vineyards on Howell Mountain, one of the last areas to harvest, said there was finally light at the end of the vine row, with lots of frayed nerves but terrifically fresh profiles in the juice and wine, and outstanding quality with great acid level. Michael Weis of Groth Vineyards said stunning is the only way to describe the 2007 vintage. Genevieve Janssens of Robert Mondavi Winery was more measured, saying it was still too early to say if it was a great vintage but that it was a very, very good one, especially for Cabernet, with tannins that were sweet and delicious.

• Pat Stotesbery of Ladera Vineyards on Howell Mountain called the wine quality outstanding, with great acid level
• Michael Weis of Groth Vineyards called 2007 stunning
• Genevieve Janssens of Robert Mondavi Winery called it a very, very good year for Cabernet while saying it was too early to call it great