End of Harvest 2006

Well, 315 tons and 50 days after our first grapes came in, we've finally finished Harvest 2006.  Three weeks ago, if you'd told us that we'd look back on the 2006 harvest with excitement, we'd have thought you were crazy. The first half of October was cool and cloudy, and rained a couple of times, and with only about 30% of the harvest in, we were worried that this would be the first disappointing harvest since 2001.  However, the last three weeks turned the vintage from a potential disappointment to one of the best we've seen.  Perfect fall weather, with daytime highs in the 70s and 80s, nights in the 30s, and consistent light breezes gave us the opportunity to leave grapes on the vine until the last moment.  At right, Robert Haas holds the last bunch of Harvest 2006: a Mourvedre bunch from the section of head-pruned vines next to the winery.