2016 Sonoma Vintage

The 2016 Sonoma season was largely uneventful, with the biggest challenges coming early. Budbreak arrived in some areas by the beginning of February. When flowering began about a month later, rains stunted cluster development in a few vineyards, making for smaller berries and clusters. Steady winter rainfall saturated the soil after a drought that played a role in the light 2015 harvest. Moderate weather then prevailed through summer, and the only extended periods of extreme heat came in late June and late July. August turned cool and cloudy: Schug winemaker Michael Cox called it the coolest August since World War II, and locals in Napa and Sonoma called the month 'Fogust' for its heavy marine fog. In the Russian River Valley, a little heat spike was hard on a few dry-farmed ranches, though most vineyards were far enough from picking that nothing detrimental resulted. In Carneros, the long expected Indian Summer arrived in September and ramped up ripening. Harvest got underway Aug. 2 with sparkling wine grapes at Gloria Ferrer, and still-wine grapes began coming in by mid-August. Most wineries finished crush by late September, although Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in some areas were picked just before heavy rains arrived in early October. Crop size varied by variety and region: Pinot Noir yields were normal for the first time in recent memory after several vintages of small crops, while Chardonnay yields were off by as much as 50 percent in some areas.

• Budbreak by the beginning of February in some areas; flowering about a month later, when rains stunted clusters in a few vineyards
• Moderate summer, with extended extreme heat only in late June and late July
• A cool, foggy August, then Indian Summer warmth in September
• Harvest from Aug. 2 (sparkling, Gloria Ferrer); most crush done by late September, before heavy early October rains

By Sept. 7, an estimated 15 to 20 percent of the Sonoma County crop had been harvested, and after an early start the schedule was almost back to normal for the time of year. Warmer spots started sooner: Joe Reynoso began picking in Asti on Aug. 22. At Thale's Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, the fruit tracked about a week or two behind 2015. At La Pitchoune Winery, cool, mild weather slowed everything way down, making 2016 a waiting game after early harvests in 2014 and 2015. Many varieties ripened at the same time, and Tim Bell of Dry Creek Vineyard said, "We were pulling in as much fruit as we could handle each day, re-filling tanks with crushed grapes as soon as they came empty." For the wider North Coast, the crop was expected to come closer to the historical average after a much smaller 2015 crop.

• About 15 to 20 percent of the Sonoma County crop was in by Sept. 7
• About 85 percent of the crop was expected in the tank by mid to late October
• Cool August weather slowed the pace; a busy, compressed September was expected
• North Coast crop expected closer to the historical average after 2015's 400,489 tons

Winemakers liked what came in. DuMol winemaker Andy Smith said, "Berries were firm and had perfectly healthy skins and therefore vivid, deep flavors, great acidity and tannins and excellent freshness," adding, "The wines will be very pure, with strong specific vineyard signatures." Carlisle winemaker Mike Officer said, "Color was off the charts in reds." Rodney Strong winemaker Justin Seidenfeld said the Cabernet and other Bordeaux varieties were showing great structure and tannin profile. On the coast, Eric Flanagan of Platt Ranch near Bodega said the foggy August would make for more elegant wines, and that "this year, coastal pinot noir will be especially coastal."

• DuMol's Andy Smith: firm berries, healthy skins, great acidity and excellent freshness
• Carlisle's Mike Officer: deep color in the reds
• Rodney Strong's Justin Seidenfeld: structure and tannin in Cabernet and other Bordeaux varieties
• Schug's Michael Cox: optimistic on acidity, color intensity and flavor in Carneros Pinot Noir and Chardonnay