The Napa Valley Viticulture Fair is here again.

Turrentine Brokerage will be an exhibitor at this years event. If you are attending please stop by our booth, #318!

Wednesday, November 7th at the Napa Valley Exposition Fairgrounds located at

575 Third Street Napa CA 94559.

Brian Clements, Vice President  here at Turrentine Brokerage has posted his latest article, titled “North Coast grape harvest headed to big win” for the North Bay Business Journal. To read the entire article, please click on the link below.

http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/62599/grape-market-insights/

(Article originally posted: Monday, October 15, 2012)

2012: Turrentine Weekly Harvest Update Tuesday, October 16th

What’s happening in the vineyards as harvest progresses? The Turrentine Grape Team will be highlighting what they are hearing and seeing in the vineyards throughout California every week.

North Coast grape broker Mike Needham walking rows of Sonoma Coast Chardonnay & Cabernet Sauvignon.

Central Coast

• Monterey: Grand Slam:  Pinot Noir still being harvested and Chardonnay has begun, along with Merlot.
• Warmer weather returns this week.
• White varieties still coming in.  Gewurztraminer in Monterey County coming in heavy.
• Zinfandel crop remains somewhat variable, average to 10% above in Paso Robles.

North Coast

• Approaching the end of the Pinot Noir & white varieties harvest.
• Just began picking Cabernet Sauvignon, closer to average crop in Sonoma County.
• Wineries struggling to find tank space for excess tons.

Interior

• It’s different than 2005! 2005 was big yields from all varieties across the state.
• The late season varieties are being harvested and it is crunch time for the wineries.  Zinfandel, not a late season variety, is wrapping up, finally.
• With all coming in at the same time, tank space is constrained, but all grapes are making it into the tank!

 2012: Turrentine Weekly Harvest Update Wednesday, October 3

What’s happening in the vineyards as harvest progresses? The Turrentine Grape Team will be highlighting what they are hearing and seeing in the vineyards throughout California every week.

Central Coast

• Monterey County Chardonnay is just starting to be harvested; starting a little later than normal, too early to determine crop size
• Heat has returned to Central Coast, Paso experienced triple digit weather. A cool down expected later in the week.
• Some Paso Merlot and Syrah yields have been picked at below expectations
• Later ripening sites of Zinfandel may be earlier than anticipated
• Cabernet Sauvignon remains tight in Paso; yields while expected to be average, may prove to be light.  Early Cabernet Sauvignon sites are picking out up to 20% below projections.
• Truckloads of Zinfandel in West & East Paso, 3 loads of Pinot Blanc from southern San Luis Obispo County, and 50 tons of westside Paso Merlot available.

North Coast

• Chardonnay is 60% harvested
• Cabernet Sauvignon starting to be picked on Howell Mountain
• Sauvignon Blanc 95% picked,  yields above average
• Pinot Noir picking out above estimates in Sonoma County, and we are finding homes for all extra tons
• Sonoma Zinfandel harvest is just getting started; yields so far above projections

Interior

• Ruby Cabernet good sugar, earlier than last year
• Cabernet Sauvignon; Northern Interior; is 1 week away, Southern Interior is just beginning
• Southern Interior; all varieties are ahead of last year
• Zinfandel is making progress; still trying to get brix up to 24°

Steve Fredricks, President at Turrentine spoke at the Wine Industry Financial Symposium in Napa on Tuesday, September 25th. To read an article discussing Steve’s presentation please click here:

http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=105682