Vibrant leaf at Nash Mill Vineyard on September 9, 2018. Photo: J. Waits/Waits-Mast Family Cellars
Is there a typical year in the wine industry or a typical harvest for Waits-Mast? With weather ever-changing, harvest dates for us have varied tremendously since we first started making wine in 2005. It’s been fairly typical in recent years to have had at least one pick by the second weekend in September - easy to remember, since we’ve been able to be present at a few picks while up in Mendocino County for Winesong. A decade ago, we recall harvests in Anderson Valley in early October.
After a few years of seemingly earlier and earlier harvests and a cooler summer; 2018 is again on the later side for us.
We had a quick visit to one of our vineyard sources, Nash Mill Vineyard, on September 9 and we are happy to see some great looking fruit. In the deep end of Anderson Valley, the vineyard has experienced slow and steady ripening of the pinot noir berries this year. Harvest is still a few weeks out, which is fairly consistent with what we experienced in 2017.
Brian Mast and Nash Mill Vineyard owner Mark Wentworth on September 9, 2018. Photo: J. Waits/Waits-Mast
