Mother Nature can be cruel. Sometimes deadly; yet often, kind and benevolent.
If you take the word of vintners and growers who have picking grapes over the past week—pretty much the start of the 2023 harvest—lately Mother Nature has been very kind. The proof, we are seeing, is already in the pudding.
Rosy outlook at Harney Lane Winery
Yesterday morning (Thursday, August 31), Harney Lane Winery owner/grower Kyle Lerner stated, almost unequivocally: “Consumers can expect spectacular wines from the 2023 vintage.”
Lerner based his rosy outlook on the quality of two of his pickings over the past week: Albariño, and (yesterday morning) Zinfandel picked for Harney Lane’s dry rosé program.
Lerner backed up his prognistication with the following observation: “This year, even with the late starting harvest [for Harney Lane’s estate, by about two weeks compared to recent years], there has been great flavor development, way ahead of chemistry development.”
When asked how “flavor development” is ascertained, Lerner explained, “We assess flavor by tasting the grapes. It’s not measurable like chemistry, but that’s the art of winemaking. We rely on chemistry to tell us things like sugar and pH, but we rely on taste to actually make wine. We’re expecting amazing wines because the flavors