Weather  
Today

Bright and chilly, with dense fog this morning. The anticipated rain yesterday held off until afternoon, making us (in the morning) feel like chumps rushing to pick it all Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, but returning us to smugness as moderate rain fell later in the day.

So far, in the last month we have received only 0.86 inches of rain, 0.40 of it in October (last year we had seen 0.95 inches by this time in October alone).

Harvest Scorecard:
Total: 203 tons (91% of forecast)

Pinot noir: 117 tons (95% of forecast)
Pinot gris: 41 tons (72% of forecast)
Chardonnay: 42 tons (124% of forecast)
Gamay noir: 3 tons (67% of forecast)

Gamay noir, Harvested and Beautiful

Harvest  2001 October 17 , 2001

Complete, For All Intents

	John Celebrates Beating the Rain

We harvested 102 tons of fruit Saturday through Monday and are glad for it. Even though the swamping forecast for yesterday on has materialized as little more than showers, our fruit was fully ripe and ready to harvest. Most of it came from Ridgecrest Vineyards, our latest ripening vineyard (77 tons).

Fruit quality of Pinot noir was excellent, with no disease and ripe flavors.

Riesling Waiting

Numbers are very good.

Concentration is excellent, with yields at 2.19 tons per acre (1.9-2.4 range), compared to last year's 2.49. Ridgecrest Pinot gris, heart of our Pinot gris Reserve, is concentrated with a yield of only 1.8 tons per acre.

We have miscellaneous small Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Riesling, and Pinot noir blocks yet to bring in, the Riesling normally coming off the first couple days of November and the others late this week. Total expected from these is 15-20 tons.

	Clive Coates and Veronique Drouhin Tasting
	Bill Stoller Tasting with Clive at Stoller Vineyards

This is a busy time for us in other areas too. Many press, distributors, and serious consumers choose Harvest as their time to visit. For example, Saturday we hosted Clive Coates, MW, who annually does an Oregon Pinot noir tasting for his newsletter The Vine. Although I tasted through quickly, using a vineyard sampling trip to Stoller chardonnay as an excuse, Kelly and Bill received Clive at Stoller Vineyards' pool house cum tasting facility.

We've finally cycled everyone on the crew through a day off except me. We know it's time for someone when the growl quotient, even with coffee, becomes audible or when things are thrown.

Teamwork is amazing despite the general torpor, with people anticipating when each other needs help, falling into preferred roles, Spanish speaking Nelle teaming with Pamela to both of their delights, Mike jumping into action subbing for a sick mate at late night punchdowns, everyone knowing what to do when trucks arrive or presses finish cycles, without asking.

Teamwork, Meeting the Challenge of 100 Tons in 3 Days, seeing people argue then embrace -- this is the reason Harvest is endured and even relished by us. Times that are annealing ... forging friendships, making memories.