With the exception of a heat spike in June, the Napa Valley experienced a cool summer and early fall. While bud breaks occurred at the expected time, Corison actually began picking seven to ten days later than normal.

"The addition of a couple of days of rain in September gave the grapes the extra kick to keep hanging and ripening, adding to the hang time which allows the full natural flavors to develop on the vine," said winemaker Bill Ballentine from St. Clement Vineyards. The result, according to Corison, was a crop with excellent color, fully developed flavors and great acidity. "Flavors have been developing at lower sugars than in other years, allowing us to make full-bodied wines at lower alcohol levels."

Steve Test, director of winemaking at Merryvale Vineyards, said the fruit was even riper than the numbers showed. "It was a nice position to be in because you could wait for the numbers to come up knowing that the flavor's already there."

Winemakers around the Valley are in agreement. At Cosentino Winery, Mitch Cosentino characterized the 2000 harvest of red grapes as having "big acid and big bright fruit." He adds, "the hang time on the vine, combined with the exceptional acid balance, reminds me of the 1985 vintage, but more complex.
"The Merlot is intense and with spectacular balance. It should rival the best we've seen over the last 15 years, including the 1997 vintage."

Even while reaping the benefits of a superb growing season, Mother Nature had a few surprises in store. At first, according to Corison, the Cabernet Sauvignon vintage appeared to be unusually large. When it came time to crush, it became apparent that the high number of clusters would weigh in lighter than they looked, as the berries were smaller than normal.

Winemaker John Gibson at Frazier Winery had a similar experience. "Cluster counts were high but cluster weights were down. Still, we had expectations of a fairly large crop, approximately 80% of the tonnage of the 1997 harvest. The Cabernet Sauvignon crops are the best since 1997."

Both Corison and Gibson point out that the small berries and clusters produce the desired concentration of Cabernet Sauvignon flavors.

In an industry that relies on the gifts of nature, Napa Valley vintners are grateful for the kind of grape growing climate that motivates them to make red wines in the Napa Valley. "When the conditions are right, everyone recognizes the signs," says Corison. "When my 112-year-old house without air conditioning cools down every night, I know it is going to be a good vintage."