2011 Washington State Vintage

The 2011 season was shaped before it began. A freeze in late November 2010, remembered as the Thanksgiving Freeze, damaged vines across Washington, and the Washington State Wine Commission singles out the Horse Heaven Hills and Walla Walla AVAs as the hardest hit. Sean P. Sullivan's Northwest Wine Report found the consequence still visible in the vineyard the following autumn: the lighter crop load left by the freeze reduced yields at several sites. Then came the summer, and it was cool. The Commission's own account of the year is short and blunt on this point, a cool summer that resulted in the latest harvest on record for many Washington vineyards. Rain arrived during the harvest period in early to mid October. It landed unevenly. Kathy Shiels of DuBrul Vineyard told Northwest Wine Report the rain had not had a huge effect on her fruit and that she had seen no mildew problems, while the broader picture across the state was of cooler temperatures and rain slowing sugar accumulation. Growers also reported an unusual chemistry to the year. Josh Maloney of Milbrandt put relative pH at roughly 0.2 units lower than recent vintages for a given titratable acidity, and attributed it to the growing season. The picking itself was late and bunched. Much of the crop came in over a short, compressed period rather than at the normal staggered pace, which is what makes 2011 a logistical story as much as a weather one. Washington finished at 142,000 tons, a figure that sits well below the 188,000 tons the state harvested in 2012, with the light crop traced back to the freeze knocking down bud fruitfulness.

• A late November 2010 freeze damaged vines statewide, worst in the Horse Heaven Hills and Walla Walla AVAs
• Lighter crop load from that freeze reduced yields at several sites in 2011
• A cool summer produced the latest harvest on record for many Washington vineyards
• Rain in early to mid October slowed sugar accumulation, though DuBrul Vineyard reported no mildew problems
• Much of the fruit was picked in a short, compressed window rather than at a staggered pace
• Washington harvested 142,000 tons, against 188,000 tons in 2012

Northwest Wine Report's October 13, 2011 harvest report is a useful snapshot of how far behind the year actually ran. At that date, harvest was still in an early to middle stage for many wineries, with whites mostly picked and the reds, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, still coming in. Red Mountain had started on Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, both late ripeners. Pacific Rim had brought in its first Riesling from Hogue Ranches on October 7. The tonnage numbers reported that day tell the story more plainly than any adjective: Northstar's Merfeld had taken in only about 3 percent of his fruit and estimated he was one and a half to two weeks behind the pace of the previous year, which had itself been cool. Goose Ridge, per Kendall Mix, had about 10 percent of its fruit in.

• As of October 13, whites were mostly picked and reds were still coming in at many wineries
• Red Mountain had started picking Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
• Pacific Rim brought in its first Riesling from Hogue Ranches on October 7
• Northstar had about 3 percent of its fruit in and estimated it was one and a half to two weeks behind the prior year
• Goose Ridge had about 10 percent of its fruit in at the same date

The Washington State Wine Commission's read on the year is that the fruit fully ripened despite the weather, and that vintners reported lower alcohol levels and elegant, complex wines. The chemistry backed that up. Acidity was moderate in both red and white varieties and pH was generally low, a combination the Commission said would allow the 2011 wines to age well over the long term. Kathy Shiels of DuBrul Vineyard offered the most concrete stylistic comparison of the vintage, expecting 2011's Bordeaux varieties to land closest to 2004 in style, which she described as elegant, balanced and sleek.

• Fruit fully ripened despite the cool season, with vintners reporting lower alcohol levels
• Moderate acidity in both reds and whites, with generally low pH
• The Commission said the low pH would let the 2011 wines age well over the long term
• DuBrul Vineyard expected the vintage's Bordeaux varieties to resemble 2004: elegant, balanced and sleek