Wine Crush at St. Francis in Sonoma CA

CRUSH 2005 BEGAN TODAY AT ST. FRANCIS WINERY
Our latest Harvest in recent years got underway when Tom called early this morning to confirm that about 20 tons of Chardonnay would be handpicked at midday and delivered to the Winery by 3 pm. Upon hearing the one truck of the day roll in, about 30 of us from the Cellar, Lab, Vineyard and Office gathered on the Crush Pad to welcome our first grapes of 2005, which were clean, golden and ripe.

The weekend's warm Sonoma winds helped raise sugar levels toward optimum ripeness on Chardonnay grapes, putting Chardonnay predictably ahead of red wine grapes in terms of readiness for picking. We expect that much of our Chardonnay will be picked and crushed before we begin picking Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon in earnest. Forecasts of warm weather this week should enable us to finish picking all 45 acres of our St. Francis Lagomarsino Estate Chardonnay by the end of next week.

The long, cool growing season of 2005 stands in stark contrast to the many heat spikes of 2004, which brought us last year's early harvest on August 18th. Indeed, recent warm days follow a cool growing season with unusual rains that didn't end until mid-June (as opposed to mid-April in most years). However, the talk in the Valley is that flavors of the many grapes still hanging may well reward our patience this year. While degrees Brix, or sugar levels, have usually preceded full flavor for picking during Sonoma's typically hot summers of recent years, the slow, steady ripening we are now observing can mean intense, complex flavors that arrive even before the grapes are ripe for picking.
This "flavors first, sugars second" scenario of a cool, slow ripening season like 2005 can result in wines of noticeable depth and complexity. I observed this firsthand when we visited our Behler Estate Merlot Vineyard here in Sonoma Valley on September 2nd. Though Dino reminded us that the sugar levels, or degrees Brix, were only 19 or 20 degrees on that date (and certainly weeks away from the optimum 25 degrees range for picking), the Merlot grapes were already plump, blackish red in color, and sweet tasting. Dino is quick to note that we couldn't grow grapes quite like these anywhere else. Every harvest brings new lessons, new surprises, reminding us each year that we still have much to learn.
About a hundred years ago, Jack London wrote passionately of the “dreams and mysteries” of the people who lived here in Sonoma Valley. Those dreams and mysteries were usually tied to farming. Indeed, in the years preceding his death in 1916 at the age of 40, London was never more moving, nor more prolific, than when he wrote of the Harvest:
"I ride over my beautiful ranch... The air is wine. The grapes on a score of rolling hills are red with autumn flame. Across Sonoma Mountain, wisps of sea fog are stealing. The afternoon sun smolders in the drowsy sky. I have everything to make me glad I am alive."Jack London, John Barleycorn (1913)
In our time, as both farmers and winemakers, Crush in Sonoma is the enduring highlight of our work at St. Francis. The dreams and mysteries of every Harvest create that moment each year when nature, talent, and hard work come together and inspire in each of us, with great passion, the promise of making something even better than before.
All of us at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards wish you the very best, at this and every Harvest.
CHRISTOPHER W. SILVA President & CEO