With the 2014 harvest just around the corner in Walla Walla, here is a recap of our summer weather from winemaker Chuck Reininger:
2014 so far has been on fire, literally and figuratively, but don’t expect an early harvest. Plants slow down their ripening process at temperatures above c.95 degrees to conserve moisture by shutting down photosynthesis.
We’ve been hovering around triple digits the entire month of July. Walla Walla to date has accumulated 1917 “degree days,” 310 more than the running average since 2008.
I anticipate harvest beginning around the same time as last year – September 8 – as a result of this phenomenon. Canopy management to guard against sunburn is very important this year.
There’s also concern regarding forest fires. Our vineyards did not experience any smoke taint a few years ago, the last time there were significant fires. However, the smoke did block a significant amount of light waves, enough to also slow ripening, according to research by Washington State University.
Thank you for your continued support of Reininger and Helix. Stay tuned for more crush updates in the coming weeks!
#WWharvest
