2015 Sonoma Vintage

California entered 2015 in the fourth year of its drought, and Wine Spectator's October 2015 Sonoma harvest report said the drought was in the back of every Sonoma vintner's mind all season. Rain arrived when it counted. Mike Crumly, vice president of vineyards for Gloria Ferrer, told Wine Spectator that nearly 3 inches of rain in February and more than an inch in April helped the vines thrive. That rain and some cold spring temperatures caused problems at flowering, and poor grape set led to uneven ripening. The Sonoma Coast was hit hardest, with an extremely small crop put down to unusually cool weather in April and May. Decanter's report on California as a whole described a warm, early spring and inclement weather during flowering that shattered clusters in many areas. The Sonoma summer was sunny and fairly warm, particularly September and October, when temperatures regularly approached 100 F. A series of September heat spikes across California pushed sugar accumulation ahead of physiological maturity. Sonoma picking started July 29, and by August harvest was on. Adam Lee of Siduri told Wine Spectator, "Never before have we started harvest so early nor have we ever finished harvest so early." On volume, Wine Spectator cited early Sonoma County Winegrowers estimates that the county crop could be 30 percent smaller than 2014, and reported crop size down by as much as 40 percent from average.

• Fourth year of California's drought; Gloria Ferrer's Mike Crumly cited nearly 3 inches of February rain and more than an inch in April
• Cold spring temperatures caused problems at flowering; unusually cool April and May left the Sonoma Coast with an extremely small crop
• Sunny, fairly warm summer, with temperatures regularly approaching 100 F in September and October
• Picking started July 29; early Sonoma County Winegrowers estimates put the crop about 30 percent below 2014

Wine Spectator singled out Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Russian River Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon in Alexander Valley as the promising grapes of the year. The Sonoma Coast, which Wine Spectator noted produces many of the county's top Pinots and Syrahs, was the challenging area, with an extremely small crop after unusually cool weather in April and May. Decanter's report added a number to that story: Jasmine Hirsch reported record low yields of 0.8 tonnes per hectare on the Sonoma Coast.

• Russian River Valley: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay named promising by Wine Spectator
• Alexander Valley: Cabernet Sauvignon named promising by Wine Spectator
• Sonoma Coast: extremely small crop; Jasmine Hirsch reported record low yields of 0.8 tonnes per hectare

Despite the lower yields, Sonoma winemakers were impressed with their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Benovia winemaker Mike Sullivan said, "The Pinots have explosive aromatics, great concentration and very fine-grained tannins." Others reported that reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel were showing plush and ripe flavors. Looking at California as a whole, Decanter wrote that drought-fatigued vines produced smaller berries than usual, most conspicuously in Pinot Noir, and that low yields gave exceptional concentration and intensity. Consulting winemaker Thomas Brown believed the wines might compete with the extremely successful 2013 vintage, though Decanter added that there is very little wine.

• Wine Spectator reported that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay impressed Sonoma winemakers despite lower yields
• Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel reported as plush and ripe
• Statewide, Decanter reported smaller berries, exceptional concentration and scarce volume