2020 Sonoma Vintage

Conditions were near-perfect, in the Sonoma County Winegrowers' words, until a mid-August lightning storm brought a dramatic turn. The same mid-August stretch brought a heat spike, and most of the white grapes were harvested before fire smoke blanketed the region. Grapes for sparkling wine were also picked early and escaped damage. The harvest began at the beginning of August, and because of that early start more than 15 percent of the winegrapes were already picked before the LNU complex fires began. By the start of the Glass Fire, the year's third major wildfire in Sonoma County, 90 percent had been harvested. The harvest then ended early, cut short by heavy smoke from several blazes, particularly the Walbridge and Glass fires. The crop was expected to be light, with estimates made on a lower than average base of 180,000 tons; the county crop had typically averaged 200,000 to 210,000 tons in recent harvests. An estimated 25 to 30 percent of the harvest would go unpicked because of the pandemic and the fires.

• Near-perfect growing conditions until a mid-August lightning storm
• A mid-August heat spike brought most white grapes and sparkling-wine fruit in before the smoke arrived
• Harvest began at the beginning of August; more than 15 percent was picked before the LNU complex fires and 90 percent by the start of the Glass Fire
• A lighter crop on a base of 180,000 tons, with 25 to 30 percent expected to go unpicked

The LNU Complex fires ripped through Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Yolo and Lake counties in August and September 2020. Just as the smoldering was ending in late September, the Glass fire ignited, destroying wineries and vineyards in Napa and Sonoma. Heavy smoke, particularly from the Walbridge and Glass fires, ended Sonoma's harvest early. Many growers, vineyard workers and their families were forced to evacuate their homes and ranches. Smoke can seep into grape skins and make wine taste like a wet ashtray. Across California, some grapes tested negative for the compounds that cause smoke taint, but some wines made with those grapes later tested positive. In Sonoma, Rodney Strong Vineyards found its highest levels of smoke damage in the vineyards farthest from the fires, which fits research suggesting that the density and duration of smoke exposure matter more than proximity. Testing itself was a bottleneck: some overwhelmed local laboratories could not return results in time, so some winemakers crushed questionable grapes and planned to judge smoke taint during fermentation.

• The LNU Complex fires burned through Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Yolo and Lake counties in August and September
• The Glass fire ignited in late September, destroying wineries and vineyards in Napa and Sonoma
• Rodney Strong found its worst smoke damage in the vineyards farthest from the fires
• Overwhelmed testing labs left some winemakers crushing uncertain fruit and assessing it during fermentation

“We harvested all of our chardonnay this year. I think that can be said for most in Sonoma County,” said Steve Sangiacomo of Sangiacomo Family Vineyards. The reds were another story. Smoke damage was expected to be worst in red varieties such as Pinot Noir, the county's most valuable grape, along with Merlot and Syrah. At Rodney Strong Vineyards, about 40 percent of the grapes were lost to smoke damage, including 85 percent of the Pinot Noir, and the reserve-level vineyards were unusable. Its Davis Bynum brand made no Pinot Noir. Paul Hobbs lost grapes from two key Sonoma Pinot Noir vineyards. Pedroncelli picked all 115 acres of its Dry Creek Valley estate because of its spot in the appellation's northeastern corner, with the smoke mostly heading south. The state crush report showed a 39 percent drop in Sonoma Pinot Noir, though the figures do not paint an entirely accurate picture, partly because 2019 was a very large vintage.

• Most white grapes and sparkling-wine fruit were picked before the smoke arrived
• Rodney Strong lost about 40 percent of its grapes and 85 percent of its Pinot Noir; Davis Bynum made no Pinot Noir
• Pedroncelli picked all 115 acres of its Dry Creek Valley estate, with smoke mostly heading south
• The state crush report showed a 39 percent drop in Sonoma Pinot Noir, a figure that does not paint an entirely accurate picture

A grower survey released on October 20, 2020 found that more than 70 percent of the county's winegrape growers expected at least some grapes to go unpicked or be rejected by wineries because of the wildfires. Unpicked tonnage from marketplace dynamics, COVID's impact on local wineries and tourism, and the fires was estimated to exceed 50,000 tons, with the unharvested crop valued at approximately $151,657,081. Growers expected to lose at least $152 million from smoke-damaged fruit, against a 2019 crop valued at about $630 million. Across the North Coast, growers in Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties could lose $473 million based on a five-year average of crop value.

• More than 70 percent of Sonoma growers expected some fruit unpicked or rejected because of the wildfires
• Unpicked tonnage estimated at more than 50,000 tons, valued at approximately $151,657,081
• At least $152 million in expected grower losses from smoke-damaged fruit
• A potential $473 million in grower losses across Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties

“We didn't make any red wines in 2020” is a refrain echoed by many California winemakers. Still, Wine Spectator's key takeaway was that the wines that did get made in 2020 are likely to be very good. Justin Seidenfeld hoped people would not “just dismiss this small but very mighty vintage.” No winery will bottle and sell smoky wine, because it would greatly harm its reputation. Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers, urged people to “especially cherish wines from the 2020 vintage. They will be hard earned and well loved.”

• Many California winemakers made no red wines in 2020
• Wine Spectator expected the 2020 wines that were made to be very good