California Harvest Reaches Crisis Point

A heat spike last weekend and a labor shortage have combined to force many California vintners to scramble to pick earlier than expected.

Until Labor Day weekend, the 2017 vintage was proceeding smoothly. California had above-average rainfall last winter for the first time in five years, alleviating long-term drought concerns, but the rains did not continue into the summer, so mildew hasn’t yet been a big problem. (That may be about to change.) The crop size was looking a little smaller than average, perhaps a long-term drought effect, but the ripening was steady and the quality looked good.

Then came an unprecedented heatwave in the country that now officially does not believe in global warming.  Read more here, from WineSearcher.com.