Reminder: September’s Virtual Tasting is this Thursday from 7-8pm Pacific Time. Read more about it here.

The 2010 Harvest is underway in Washington State. Over the coming weeks, I will provide regular updates on what is picked, where, and when.

One of this week’s updates comes from Jonathan Sauer at Red Willow and Les Vignes de Marcoux vineyards in the Yakima Valley. Red Willow, one of the state’s finest vineyards, is the furthest western vineyard within the Yakima Valley. Sauer says that while the vineyard is not a particularly warm site, it is typically an early vineyard.

Sauer is just beginning harvest this Thursday, starting with Gewurztraminer. Of the 2010 vintage, Sauer says, “The early season varietals look phenomenal this year. Typically we would pick the fruit much riper than this, however this year it seems that the flavor development is ahead of Brix which is a complete contrast to last season.” Red Mountain vineyard manager Ryan Johnson agrees saying there are, “amazing flavors at low Brix across the board.”

Sauer says that some grapes at Red Willow are behind, saying, “Many of our Cab and Sangio blocks are around 20.5 Brix right now and will use as much season as the year will give us.”

Winemaker James Mantone of Syncline Wine Cellars says that the winery has not yet begun harvesting grapes. Mantone, however, is not concerned. He says this “may be the best Syrah harvest I’ve seen in my eleven years in Washington.”

Many growers have likened the 2010 vintage to 1999. Sauer, who has been collecting data from a weather station near Red Willow since 1998 says that 1999 was the coolest year followed by 2010, which is about 50 units warmer. In comparing 2010 with 1999 Johnson says, “Wineries that enjoy the results from 1999 should not be afraid to trust their palates.”

The picture at the top shows Pinot Noir grapes at Evergreen Vineyard, courtesy of Kyra Wines. Grower Mike Wade of Fielding Hills sent along pictures from his Riverbend Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope. The first picture shows seeds from Merlot grapes, one manner of assessing ripeness. Another picture shows juice from Riverbend grapes along with technical information.

The information in the table below is aggregated from personal correspondence with growers and winemakers, as well as information posted on Twitter and Facebook. If you wish to send data for your grapes or vineyards (or correct any of the information below), please email me at [email protected], leave a comment below, or leave a comment on the WWR Facebook page.

Winery

Grape

Vineyard

Date

Notes

Yakima Valley

Desert Wind

Gewurztraminer

Estate

9/18

CAVU

Sauvignon Blanc

Lonesome Spring

9/21

Hard Row to Hoe

Sauvignon Blanc

Lonesome Spring

9/22

–NA–

Gewurztraminer

Red Willow

9/23

First grapes to be harvested

–NA–

Merlot

Red Willow

9/24

Currently 24 Brix

–NA–

Syrah

Red Willow

TBD

Mid to late next week

–NA–

Cabernet

Red Willow

TBD

20.5 Brix

Red Mountain

L’Ecole No. 41

Sauvignon Blanc

Klipsun

9/21

Cadence

Merlot

Cara Mia

9/21

–NA–

Merlot

Ciel du Cheval

9/22

Beginning to pick. 24.0 Brix to 25.0 Brix

DiStefano

Merlot

RMV

9/22

CZ Cellars

Merlot

Shaw

9/25

Walla Walla Valley

Woodward Canyon

Sauvignon Blanc

Dolcetto

Chardonnay

Estate

Estate

Estate

9/15

9/20

9/21

Hoping to pick Merlot later this week

Three Rivers

Merlot

Seven Hills

9/21

L’Ecole No. 41

Merlot

Seven Hills

9/21

Reininger

Merlot

Seven Hills

9/21

Gramercy

Syrah

SJR

9/21

¼ picked. Tempranillo close. Les Collines Syrah close.

Amavi Cellars

Merlot

Seven Hills

9/22

Wahluke Slope

L’Ecole No. 41

Merlot

Stone Tree

9/21

Fielding Hills

Merlot

Cabernet

Syrah

Cabernet Franc

Riverbend

Riverbend

Riverbend

Riverbend

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

23.3 Brix 9/20

22.2 Brix 9/20

19.6 Brix 9/20

19.4 Brix 9/20

Estimate will start picking Merlot next week

Columbia Valley

Pacific Rim

Riesling

Wallula

TBD

Between 15-22 Brix

Pacific Rim

Gewurztraminer

Wallula

TBD

21 Brix

Snipes Mountain

Ch Ste. Michelle

Sauvignon Blanc

Upland

9/22

Lake Chelan

Hard Row to Hoe

Riesling

Cabernet Franc

Estate

Estate

TBD

15.2 Brix

16.3 Brix