Here
’s to the first harvest of the season. Workers at Clos LaChance
Winery raised their glasses to usher in the official start of the
2005 grape harvest in San Martin Friday afternoon. “We had a toast
for good luck for the start of the harvest,” said Rick Toyota who
serves as Hospitality Manager
and Sommelier for the winery. “Our vineyard is a younger
vineyard and with every year we’re seeing an increase in the
quality of the fruit. This year, we’re seeing some intense coloring
and intense flavor … which in turn should affect the wine.”
Here’s to the first harvest of the season. Workers at Clos LaChance Winery raised their glasses to usher in the official start of the 2005 grape harvest in San Martin Friday afternoon.
“We had a toast for good luck for the start of the harvest,” said Rick Toyota who serves as Hospitality Manager and Sommelier for the winery. “Our vineyard is a younger vineyard and with every year we’re seeing an increase in the quality of the fruit. This year, we’re seeing some intense coloring and intense flavor … which in turn should affect the wine.”
After a mild winter which prolonged the growing season, an unusually rainy July threatened South County grapes – first with water then with heat.
Water droplets left unattended could cause mold to grow on the fruit. If left to dry in the sun, magnification of the light rays on the grapes could cause the fruit to burn. Smaller vineyards must dry the fruit with a coating of powder such as sulfur.
However, despite the erratic weather, Toyota is expecting a quality yield.
“The pH and the sugar content were what we wanted to harvest it at,” he said. “The fruit is going to tell us when to harvest.”
Eighteen types of grapes from Muscat blanc to Syrah are grown on the 150 acres. While only two press loads of sauvignon blanc were picked Friday, picking should gradually increase and the harvest should peak in early October, Toyota explained.
All grapes are handpicked – old world style – on the premises.
By early afternoon the small load had been collected and were ready for crushing.
“You definitely want to harvest first thing in the morning when the fruit is at its most intense,” Toyota explained.
As the afternoon sun heats the ground, the vines start taking in more water.
“In essence you’re kind of diluting the grape by midday,” he said.
While the Clos La Chance vineyard was planted in 1999, the grapes were making their return to the area. More than 100 years ago, before Napa and Sonoma had made their mark on the California wine industry, Santa Clara County was home to some of the first California vineyards, Toyota said.
