Paso Robles winemakers are predicting an excellent harvest after a wet season with rain totals not seen in years.
“So we started out having twice to three times as much rain than most vineyards are used to, which is a good thing,” said Still Waters Vineyards owner Paul Hoover.
Not only do the heavy rains benefit the crop but they help purify the soil.
“The rain leeched out the salts from the soils,” Hoover explained.
He says that by removing the salt, the water ensured the grapes’ acidity would remain intact. Hoover says when it comes to wine, acidity is indeed a good thing.
“Those acids are what make for a more natural-tasting wine,” he said. “Normally, we have to 'acidify back' is the way we describe it but this year, there is so much beautiful natural acid in the grapes that we’re just waiting for those acids to come down.”
Gary Eberle, owner of Eberle Winery, also noted this year’s heavy rains but added that the weather played a major role in the harvest as well.
“This is the coldest winter, spring, summer and now fall I've ever experienced in the industry,” Eberle said.
He says that since this year was cooler than most, there wasn’t as much heat to put the harvest at risk.
“We’ve not had the unusual heat spells that we sometimes have,” Hoover added.
With pure soil, heavy rain and cool temperatures, the scene was set for an ideal crop.
“It has the potential of being one of the best years we’ve had in a really long time,” Hoover said.
Eberle agreed, saying, “[The] quality coming in looks pretty darn good.”
