Harvest this year is a little on the early side. It started in the last third of August. The frost back in April is definitely one of the dominant factors affecting this year's crop. Yields are down anywhere from 15% to 70% depending on who you talk to. Weather always plays a roll. This year, in spite of a few heat spikes, could be characterized as steady, constant and generally moderate. Oh, and a little smoky.

It's hard to keep Delia out of the action. Crushing is too much fun and she always wants to be right in the middle of it.

Usually we see harvest as a serious of waves with lulls in between. This year they are hitting shore in solid succession with no down time. Mark expects to be done with most of harvest by the end of September. Usually he is finishing up by the end of October.

Often we will have a cooling trend sometime in September and the grapes take a break from ripening. Because everything is so compressed this year there is a real  premium of tank space. He is scrambling to get one wine out before installly filling it with something new. Delia jumped at the chance to help out when we were really overloaded.

It's too early to say too much about the harvest. Generally the grapes are coming with high sugar levels but equally high acid levels as well.

It is always instructive and downright fun to taste wines at various stages of their development. That is why the Harvest Party will be fun. You get to do just that.

We were trying a sample of the brand new 2008 Syrah that had been in barrel all of two days. It showed great fruit and really good balance so if it is any indication we're setting up well.

Oh, and that smoky thing, the Syrah had a real smoky note to. That is characteristic of the grape but who knows?