When it comes to growing wine in Virginia, “you hope for the best and prepare for the worst,” says vineyard manager Fernando Franco. And this unusually hot and dry season has delivered both. Overall, harvest is early—by as much as three weeks—and, depending on where a vineyard is situated, that can be a good thing or a matter somewhat more stressful.
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“In Virginia,” says vineyard manager Fernando Franco, who oversees 147 acres for Barboursville, “you never know what you’re going to get.” |
At Barboursville Vineyards in Orange County, where Franco manages 147 acres under vine, crews had already harvested the Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc by August 15. That day Franco pronounced the maturity and flavor of the fruit to be “excellent” and said the balance of brix (sugar content) and acidity was “really nice.”
But at Veritas Vineyards in Nelson County, winemaker Emily Pelton says that for now she’s “withholding judgment on this vintage.” If all had gone according to plan, this was going to be the year that Veritas increased production to 15,000 from 10,000 cases. And though she put an additional 25 acres at Ivy Creek Vineyards into production, she’s predicting that the drought-diminished yields will be about equal to last year. “How many times have winemakers said we want the dry weather and small berries, and here we have it and, oh my gosh, we have no product!”
Between the effect of wind storms and heavy rains in early summer, cloud cover during bud break, and the absence of cool nights to balance July and August’s super-hot days, “in my 10 years,” says Pelton, “this is the craziest vintage I’ve ever worked.”
Meanwhile over at Sweeley Estate Winery, where this year’s crop will go straight to market rather than into Sweeley wines, winemaker Frantz Ventre confirms that harvest has been early at that Madison County establishment, too. And indeed, “the berries are much smaller than expected.” But he adds, the fruit from his 36 acres so far is “looking very nice.”
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Speaking of Madison County, this just in from the Department of Scenic Wineries: DuCard Vineyards, beautifully situated in what’s known as Gibson Hollow some 40 miles from downtown Charlottesville in Etlan, recently celebrated its grand opening. The well-appointed tasting room is the first in Virginia to be fully solar-powered. Built adjacent to a stream and edged with umbrella tables on a wraparound deck, it was packed on August 7 with well-wishers glad-handing owner Scott Elliff and tasting the five DuCard wines. Among those was an inky Norton, two Viogniers, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and a Vidal Blanc dessert wine. A Norton-based port is also in the works.
And, as long as we’re talking spectacular views, if a two-mile high, unobstructed, 270-degree view of the Southwest Mountains sounds appealing, the place to head to is Stone Mountain Vineyards, 25 miles northwest of Charlottesville in Dyke. Be warned: The drive up the mountain is not for the faint of heart or anyone without at least front-wheel drive, but once you get up there and step onto the deck, it’s breathtaking. Owner Chris Breiner confirms that way up there he too is dealing with an early harvest and lower-than-usual yields, but, he adds, “the chemistry is in balance.”