2019 Napa Valley Vintage
Heavy March and April rains, a long mild summer with few extreme heat events, and a warm August that lowered acidity.
The 2019 Napa Valley season began with copious rainfall. March and April were heavy, and the January-to-May period recorded just over 34 inches of rain, against almost nothing across the same months in 2018. Soils were still moist after budburst, so vine vigor ran high and needed active management. Summer was long and mild with very few extreme heat events, though August 2019 was the warmest August since 2003 on warmer evenings, which lowered acidity. Harvest opened in mid-August with sparkling-wine Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, and by October 15 roughly 75 percent of the valley's winegrapes were in. The autumn turned dry and sometimes windy, raising wildfire risk and bringing a series of PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs that created new challenges for winemaking. Yields were generally down on 2018, a crop that ran 20 to 30 percent above average.
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Open the appGrowing season
Water shaped the front half of 2019. The growing season began with heavy rains in March and April that produced robust cover crops and organically enriched the soil, and the January-to-May total came in at just over 34 inches, against 0.61 inches across the same stretch in 2018 and similar to the very wet winter and spring of 2017. The start of the season was defined by copious rainfall and late soil moisture. Because the rain extended through May, soils were still moist after budburst, which came mainly in late March and early April, and into the initial growth spurt, and the vines showed a fair bit of vigor that needed managing. Fruit set ran on course for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. April rain created a bit of shatter in Chardonnay clusters during bloom without significantly reducing crop size, and most growers called it “nature’s way of thinning.” Summer was long and mild. Apart from a brief heat spike in June, the weather stayed moderate and veraison was even, with very few extreme heat events and few extended foggy mornings. August 2019 was the warmest August since 2003, on warmer evenings overall, and that lowered acidity in the grapes. Harvest began in mid-August with sparkling-wine producers bringing in Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, alongside a brief heat spike that growers, vineyard managers and their crews handled. Two days of light rain in mid-September prompted some growers to trim canopies to increase airflow around ripening fruit. By October 15, roughly 75 percent of the valley's total winegrapes were in, and by October 22 harvest was progressing smoothly, with most growers picking Cabernet Sauvignon under mild autumn conditions. Jon Ruel of Trefethen Family Vineyards called it “another vintage where the grower was in the driver’s seat,” with the luxury of thinning block by block and vine by vine. The relatively mild season produced a bountiful crop, though yields were generally down on 2018, which ran 20 to 30 percent above average.
- Heavy March and April rains built robust cover crops and enriched soils; January to May recorded just over 34 inches against 0.61 inches in 2018
- Budburst came in late March and early April, into soils still moist enough to drive notable vine vigor
- April rain caused a bit of Chardonnay shatter at bloom without significantly reducing crop size
- A long, mild summer with very few extreme heat events and even veraison, apart from a brief heat spike in June
- August 2019 was the warmest August since 2003 on warmer evenings, which lowered acidity in the grapes
- Harvest opened mid-August with sparkling-wine fruit; about 75 percent of the valley's winegrapes were in by October 15
- Yields were generally down on 2018, a crop that ran 20 to 30 percent above average
- The season began with heavy rains in March and April that produced robust cover crops and organically enriched the soil
- The January-to-May period recorded just over 34 inches of rain, against 0.61 inches over the same months in 2018 and similar to the very wet winter and spring of 2017
- Budburst came mainly in late March and early April, with soils still moist into the initial growth spurt and vigor that needed managing
- April rain caused a bit of shatter in Chardonnay clusters during bloom without significantly reducing crop size
- August 2019 was the warmest August since 2003, on warmer evenings, which lowered acidity in the grapes
- Two days of light rain in mid-September prompted some growers to trim canopies to increase airflow around ripening fruit
- Approximately 75 percent of Napa Valley's total winegrapes had been harvested as of October 15, 2019
- The dry, sometimes windy autumn increased wildfire risk and brought a series of PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs, a challenge for winemaking
A dry, windy autumn
The back half of the season turned dry and sometimes windy, which increased the risk of wildfires. PG&E ran a series of Public Safety Power Shutoffs, and the outages introduced a new set of challenges to winemaking. A few top wineries had invested in generators since the 2017 fires, but even generators have their limitations.
- Dry, sometimes windy autumn conditions increased wildfire risk
- PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs created new challenges for winemaking
- A few top wineries had invested in generators since the 2017 fires
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The Wine Independent, reviewing the vintage alongside 2018 and 2020, finds the 2019s more generous and weightier than the 2018s, generally with slightly more alcohol and a little less acidity. The reviewer estimates that most reds sit closer to 14.5 to 14.9 percent alcohol, with a good number above 15 percent. The best reds have ripe, soft tannins that are approachable in youth, with less tannic backbone than the 2018s. The review credits the lower yields and slightly more heat than 2018, with no real heat extremes. It also rates 2017 and 2019 as generally better vintages than 2018 for Napa whites.
- The Wine Independent finds the 2019 reds more generous and weightier than the 2018s, with slightly more alcohol and a little less acidity
- Most 2019 reds are estimated at 14.5 to 14.9 percent alcohol, with a good number above 15 percent
- The best reds have ripe, soft tannins, approachable in youth and with less backbone than 2018
- Lower yields and slightly more heat than 2018, with no real heat extremes, help explain the style
- For Napa whites, 2017 and 2019 are rated generally better vintages than 2018
- 2019 began with heavy March and April rains; the January-to-May period recorded just over 34 inches of rain against 0.61 inches in 2018, leaving soils moist after a late March to early April budburst and vigor that needed managing.
- Summer was long and mild with very few extreme heat events, but August 2019 was the warmest August since 2003 on warmer evenings, which lowered acidity in the grapes.
- Harvest opened in mid-August with sparkling-wine Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay; about 75 percent of Napa's winegrapes were picked by October 15, 2019.
- A dry, sometimes windy autumn increased wildfire risk and brought PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs, a winemaking challenge; a few top wineries had invested in generators since the 2017 fires.
- The Wine Independent finds the 2019 reds weightier than the 2018s, most estimated at 14.5 to 14.9 percent alcohol with some above 15 percent, with ripe, soft tannins, crediting lower yields plus slightly more heat.
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