(EastOregonian) - After a mild winter and a stretch of warm spring weather, Washington wine grape growers are optimistic about the upcoming vintage. The past two seasons have been difficult for grape growers, thanks to cold winters and cool springs.Winter from a November 2010 freeze extensively damaged vineyards, causing an 11 percent decrease in grapes. Last fall, wine grape growers harvested 142,000 tons, down from 160,000 the year before. This year, however, grape growers across Washington wine country are bullish so far. “We haven’t had a normal year in a couple of years,” said Norm McKibben of Walla Walla.