2021 Sonoma Vintage

2021 was the third drought year in a row for the region, with little winter rainfall and dry conditions, and the ongoing California drought was entering its third year, with the 2020/21 water year the 9th driest in 127 years of record keeping. Sonoma County faced extremely low flows in the Russian River and low storage in local reservoirs. Tom Gendall of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance said rains "came through frequently, but only enough to rehydrate the soils." Many reservoirs went unfilled and were basically empty entering the 2021 growing season. The year began cold and finished warm and fast. Save for a tiny frost event early in the season in the Russian River Valley, the weather was remarkably cooperative: even daytime temperatures and cool evenings ensured even ripening and significant acid development, and the season was void of long, lingering heatwaves. Grapes in warmer areas matured slightly earlier because the crop was lighter, while cooler areas ripened at a more normal rate. The harvest came a little early, was 90 to 95 percent complete in county reports, and was targeted for completion between October 15 and October 22. The crop was average to slightly less than average, a little lighter because of water conservation efforts growers used across the county and among all varieties.

At Rodney Strong Vineyards, the dry year caused an early start to the growing season, and harvest began on August 11. The early start led to a small crop, which ripened faster than normal. The main challenge of 2021 was many varieties ripening around the same time. Winemakers saw crops 5 to 30 percent lower than average in this third drought year. Gendall put the split this way: "If you had good access to water, it was a wonderful growing season. If you had limited access to water, this resulted in stunted canopies, very diminished crops and strange ripening patterns."

• Rodney Strong Vineyards began picking on August 11
• Many varieties ripening around the same time was the main challenge of the year
• Winemakers saw crops 5 to 30 percent lower than average
• Sonoma County: 202,304 tons at an average of $2,672 per ton, worth $541 million, just shy of the 10-year average of $551 million (preliminary figures)

Sonoma County Winegrowers expected the 2021 crop to be viewed as an excellent vintage, with exceptional flavors and intense, beautiful grapes, fruit forward and ripe. Decanter's J'nai Gaither called 2021 an extraordinary vintage across the Sonoma appellations, yielding wines with depth, power, concentration and excellent acid retention: "It is a collector's vintage." Reds and whites fared almost equally well, but many winemakers tout the reds as the wines to watch, expecting them to be exceptionally long-lived thanks to their tannin structure. The wines offer freshness, brilliant fruit, characteristic salinity and a savoury character.

• Theresa Heredia, winemaker for Gary Farrell Winery: "I think the Pinot Noirs of 2021 are the true standout"
• Decanter's top reds included Kosta Browne Gap's Crown Pinot Noir and Wayfarer Mother Rock Pinot Noir; top whites included Kosta Browne Diablo Vineyard Chardonnay and Kistler Trenton Roadhouse Chardonnay

2021 followed a hard year. The Walbridge and Glass fires of 2020 disrupted picks and produced smoke-tainted fruit, and many producers decided to forgo 2020 as a vintage altogether. In 2021 there were no fires and no smoke during harvest. The value of the North Coast's 2021 grape harvest rebounded to $1.4 billion, a 48 percent increase over 2020, though North Coast tonnage stayed below the 10-year average of 476,684 tons, a lighter crop for the second straight year. The smaller crops were bringing the grape market back into better balance for growers.

• No fires and no smoke during the 2021 harvest
• North Coast harvest value rebounded to $1.4 billion, up 48 percent on 2020; this figure covers Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and Marin counties together
• North Coast tonnage stayed below the 10-year average of 476,684 tons, a second straight lighter crop
• Dry Creek Valley grower Jim Ricci said his merlot was significantly down from drought and windy conditions, while his chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon yields were higher