St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

Vineyards

CRUSH 2007 BEGAN TODAY AT ST. FRANCIS WINERY

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Our first ‘August Crush’ since 2004 began just before 1 pm today with Tom’s acceptance of 20 tons of hand picked Sonoma Valley Chardonnay grapes. To the smiles and applause of everyone gathered, the fruit arrived on our Crush Pad in sparkling two-ton bins and was plump, greenish gold in color and sweet to taste. Monsignor Fahey, in full vestments, stood at the hopper to gently bless the grapes and the people who will farm and receive them. The excitement that surrounds us is familiar and unmistakable: Harvest is here.

Sonoma’s recent hot days come at the end of a generally mild, dry growing season. Today’s 100 degree temperatures follow a short warming trend expected to last through Friday in the Valley, and we intend to pick our earliest ripening Chardonnay grapes until then. The forecast calls for a cooler weekend that should slow rising sugar levels and keep our gradually ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes hanging for at least two more weeks. As part of our elevated quality protocol, the winemaking team will make repeated visits to every vineyard throughout the Harvest to sample and evaluate grape colors, flavors, and vineyard cleanliness—in addition to sugar levels. We don’t expect to bring in red grapes before Monday, when we will likely pick a few tons of ‘Old Vines’ Zinfandel. Chardonnay will continue to come in while more of our red grapes ripen.

The educated guessing that attempts to undo the mysteries posed by Mother Nature each Harvest is alive and well on our Crush Pad this year. Dino and his vineyard teams think the mild growing season and consistently even ripening will result in a lighter crop of richer, more flavorful grapes. Tom says that most of our vineyards have normal numbers of clusters per vine, but that the ‘07 crop can be characterized by both clusters and berries that are consistently smaller—and likely more concentrated—than in most years. All this, combined with ideal acid levels, gives early signals of a potentially outstanding Sonoma grape vintage. Meanwhile, we stay focused and keep at it, often envisioning and discussing the wines that will, in time, result from our work.

Much has happened here since William McP. Hill sold his Sonoma Valley Zinfandel grapes to Mr. J. Chauvet for a record $22 per ton in September 1885 (as reported by the Sonoma Index-Tribune). In a world that is vastly more complex, the impact of winemaking continues to exceed our predecessors’ wildest dreams. Yet Harvest in Sonoma—the enduring highlight of our work at St. Francis—reminds us of all that remains the same. It is this moment each year, in our time, that directs us to Sonoma’s rolling hills of vineyards, grapes, and a passion for winemaking that has not changed. Nor will it.

All of us at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards wish you the very best, at this and every Harvest.

CHRISTOPHER W. SILVA
President & CEO

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