Jason sent me an article about the early April frost and other variables (weather, fires, etc.) experienced throughout the year affecting the 2008 grape production in Napa Valley and surrounding areas. The particular farmer in the article lost anywhere from 35-50% of his crops. The results could affect all of us in the wallet as wine prices for this vintage could jump to account for the lower production.
However, upon further research, it appears that some of these affects on production could be isolated to individual farmers and areas. Additionally, it depends on how the grower responded to each weather situation to manage the potentially damaging effects. And finally, while some production levels may be down, there is some evidence that smaller berries and reduced cluster size could result in higher quality wines this year from California… hooray!
So, keep any eye out in the wine aisles of your favorite store next year because our current level of “value” may need to be adjusted up, but the resulting drink and experience may just be worth it!
Cheers
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