(Wines&Vines) - Heat and drought combined for an early, compressed harvest with lower than normal yields for most of the vast Central Coast grapegrowing region. Reports late last week summarized the season, which was similar to other California areas this year.

From Santa Barbara County, home to 249 wineries: “Harvest began on Aug. 3, earliest on record,” said Brooks Van Wingerden, general manager of 11,000-case Margerum Wine Co. “It is a very compact vintage due to the drought and warm weather, with low yields. Varieties that traditionally ripen at different times are ripening at the same time.”

Van Wingerden noted that warmer-than-usual water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean caused a lessening of diurnal temperature changes and nights that never cooled down. “Dramatic diurnals produce higher acid for better balanced wine. Sugar is produced with the grapes’ exposure to sunlight, and with the drop in temperature at night, the balance of natural acids is preserved.”

Although Margerum’s grape volume is down some 40%-60%, and despite the lack of diurnal changes, Van Wingerden enthused, “quality has been phenomenal: tiny clusters of intensely colored, incredibly flavored grapes. Flavors appeared before sugar, which is often the case in Santa Barbara County. Sugars spiked due to some dramatic heat surges,” Van Wingerden said. “It’s a great vintage but requires winemaking.”

He reported no disease problems, just pesky squirrels, bees, wasps and birds. The compact harvest led to some labor shortages. He expected harvest to be complete by the end of September.

Bryan Babcock, owner/winemaker of 10,000-case Babcock Winery, confirmed a compressed harvest during the last two weeks of August and said, “Getting people to harvest fruit is becoming more and more difficult.”

His crop is half of normal tonnage, with tiny clusters and berries, high Brix and normal acids.

Baehner Fournier Vineyard began its Cabernet Sauvignon harvest Sept. 11—two to three weeks earlier than any of the prior 11 harvests. Yields there were also reduced by 50%, despite irrigation.

“Everything is coming in at once,” said Brett Escalera, owner/winemaker at The Sanger Family of Wines (10,000 cases). Harvest began Aug. 21, 10-12 days ahead of historic start dates. “Hand labor is in short supply and difficult to come by, making it difficult to pick in a timely manner when the weather is forcing us to pick earlier than desired,” leading to higher-than desired Brix and pH levels.

A dispatch from winemaker Eric Mohsemi at 35,000-case Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards said harvest got going the second week of August, but, “Even with the early harvest, our picks have been spread out nicely.” Like last year, the onset was about three weeks ahead of normal. “The biggest difference is that the lighter crop this year has shortened the overall length of the harvest. We had no issues with getting labor this year—last two years were definitely a different story.”

Crop size is down, especially for Syrah, Viognier and Roussanne: “Some blocks set less than 1 ton per acre.” He expected harvest to wind up in the third week of September. “

I don’t think there is much doubt that the fourth year in a row of drought is really having an effect on the vines. To add to the issue, the last few winters have been unusually warm, preventing the vines from really going dormant. Let’s hope we get few cold winters with lots of rain to help get things back to normal,” he said. Symptoms of Eutypa are becoming an issue in the Santa Ynez Valley. “Its increase could be in part due to the amplified stress the vines are under with our drought conditions, but we’re not quite sure.”

 Harvest for sparkling wines began July 28; Chardonnay began coming in July 31 at 8,000-case Presqu’ile in Santa Maria Valley, where the relatively light vintage spread out the picking.

Paso Robles

Several wine growers in Paso Robles sent reports in early September. Lone Madrone (4,000-cases) started picking its earliest Zinfandel at Bailey Ranch on Aug. 26, “Always the first Zinfandel we get,” according to winemaker Neil Collins.

Syrah and “a little Grenache” kicked off the 18,000-case Halter Ranch harvest on Aug. 20, per Kevin Sass. At 2,000-case Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery, Aug.19 marked the onset, with Marsanne, followed by Viognier and Grenache Blanc, according to Bob Tillman. Viognier led the pack at Adelaida Cellars (15,000-cases), coming in on Aug. 14. “On Aug. 17 we picked Grenache and Carignane for rosé,” said Jeremy Weintraub, Adelaida’s winemaker.

Although Sass called it the earliest harvest he’d seen in 15 vintages, Collins said, “It is certainly early but not the earliest.”

Initial impressions of the fruit indicated inconsistencies and non-uniform ripening. “As a result we have spent more time on the sorting table, removing green berries within the clusters,” Sass said. A long, drawn out fruit bloom/set period meant that “In a given cluster, there can be up to two to three weeks difference in time on the set. Also, the crop load is about half of normal due to poor set, according to Tillman.