The 2008 growing season began with a wet winter that warmed up quickly. Mid-March bud-break prompted early concerns about frost. Indeed, frost struck parts of Paso Robles and the rest of coastal California on April 22. Spring continued dry and warm, spiking unseasonably high in mid-May, and then changing weather patterns weekly. These conditions in some vineyards caused “shatter,” also known as “coulure,” with crop loss due to flowers that would otherwise become grapes falling off the shoots. This reduced yields by up to 50% in some vineyards. Summer brought typical consistent warm, dry days with cool nights, and no heat spikes. The mild summer allowed the reduced crop to ripen evenly, and picking was determined by flavor profiles in the individual vineyards. All grapes were hand-harvested over a seven week period, and clusters were hand sorted for consistency. |
