Update on pre-harvest weather in Washington State

Growing Degree Days, as measured near Walla Walla on Sept. 5, 2011:
2011: 1,917
2010: 2,090
2009: 2,505
1999: 2,011

To make this more meaningful:
-- 2010 was a cool vintage, not unlike 2011.
-- 2009 was a warm, typical Washington vintage (until the Oct. 10 frost, that is).
-- 1999 was a benchmark cool vintage, one considered a bit of a miracle because of the warm September and October that helped the grapes ripen to near perfection.
Sauer said about 22 heat units can be accumulated per day in near-perfect conditions. He also said there were other circumstances that can make heat units an unreliable measurement, such as temperatures over about 95 degrees, when vines will shut down and go into survival mode.
He said he will begin picking around Sept. 26, about the same as last year's start. In a typical year, he begins harvest Sept. 12 or so.

So, perhaps Eastern WA is about 2 weeks late, at this point.

(all info quoted from WinePressNorthwest newsletter)