This article from Oregon Public Broadcasting suggests that 2011 could be the worst grape harvest in northern Oregon since the commercial winegrape industry began here.
We had a very late Spring, a very cool summer, and, unfortunately, apparently an early and wet and cool Fall. Those are three daggers that spell failure, at least in all non-ideal vineyards (meaning if a vineyard is too high, or too shaded, or doesn't slope down to the South, that vineyard might be a failure this year).
However:
1. I picked several hybrid varieties, for winemaking, near Aurora OR, and while they had low sugars, some of them did have mature flavors, mature seeds, good impartable skin color, and lignified stems. We had a decently warm September, to which I give credit for those pluses.
2. In my own little vineyard, I harvested Regent grapes yesterday. I used very tight netting, more netting on the ground, hung lots of compact discs (rotating reflecting light), and put up scads of fake snakes, and as a result I was able to let the grapes hang much longer than in previous years, with only 15-20% loss to birds. The sugar level of the must was ridiculously low (14.2 Brix) but the seeds were uniformly dark brown, the skin color is good and readily rubs off dark red, and the juice flavor seems excellent. As the (ever-optimistic) winemakers say, "You can add sugar, but you can't add flavor."
The hybrids I'm targeting all ripen earlier than vinifera, and in a year like this that makes a HUGE difference.
Final thought: If the commercial harvest is mostly toast, then some of the indebted newer wineries might have to close, after all (there has been much speculation about that, but they seem to hang on).
Final final thought: Rains are forecast for today (Monday), and Tues, Wed, Fri, and Sat this week. Ouch.
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