It started out wet in April and May, leading to an outbreak of downy mildew, producing yellowish spots on the leaves. By late May the rain tapered off, but the daily dew and high humidity kept disease pressure on the vines. July—possibly the coolest July on record in the Triad—slowed the development of sugars in the grapes, but August turned hot and mostly dry.

Overall, quality is high, disease under control, sugars and acids in wonderful balance, and the outlook for the wines is excellent.  In terms of the crop, we harvested about a ton of Roussanne, eight tons of Viognier, four tons of Syrah and three tons of Petite Sirah. Anybody remember the old song: “You load sixteen tons and what do’ya get?” Now I know: a lot of grapes.