The 2005 California Grape Harvest Explained
The onmipresent SF Chronicle wine writer Blake Grey found his words on the front page of his newspaper today in what is the most comprehensive story yet on the 2005 California grape harvest and the potential impact that its girth will have on the business.
Blake is predicting a quality bonanza for consumers who look to the $10 to $15 range where a good deal of the juice that generally gets into higher priced wines will eventually end up as wineries sell off a good portion of the wine they dont’ need to bottle to satisfy their bottom line as well as their distributors.
It’s an interesting perspective. Add to this idea the fact that a number of wine regions around the world are reporting high quality harvests and you indeed can imagine the 2005 vintage may just be the focus of quality seekers at every price level who look not just to CA wines but to those wines from across the globe.
We’ll be seeing the first 2005 wines next month when the Beaujolais Nouveau is pressed upon us. After that, look for the first 2005 white wines to hit the market in mid spring. The first reds will probably arrive fall 2006. The big name California Cabs will be talked about until around spring and summer 2008 when the fist one arrive while the bulk of CA cabs will arrive in Fall 2008.
Thanks much for explaining these things to us.
hi,
A prospective artitecel. Very helpful for Wine lovers.