2004 Grape Harvest Well Underway
Variety of Climates, Winemaking Skills Lead to Great Wines

September 29, 2004
Contact: Nan Johnson, Virginia Wine Office,
(804) 371-7685

RICHMOND, VA – From Chardonnay to Viognier, Virginia's 250 vineyards and nearly 90 wineries offer choices for just about every wine lover and this year's grape harvest is no exception.

State Viticulturist Tony Wolf, Ph.D., based in Winchester, Virginia, reports that grapes have been coming off the vines around the state for several weeks and preliminary reports "look good" for the vintage. On the Eastern Shore, for example, the early Chardonnay yield "came off with nice numbers" according to Wolf. There is still a lot of hanging crop left to be harvested around the state, he says, and at the moment the conditions are ideal for ripening.

Vineyards traditionally begin their harvest with white varieties and finish with red varieties because of the difference in ripening time.

"Our reds are coming along nicely," according to White Hall Vineyard's Antony Champ, president of The Virginia Winegrowers Association and member of The Virginia Wine Board. "We're looking forward to making some good wine this year." Making good wine at White Hall isn't unusual. The Crozet winery took home ten medals in this year's Virginia Governor's Cup Competition and the 2001 Soliterre was named Best Wine of the Southeast in the Atlanta International Wine Competition.

"Things are looking pretty darn good" in the southwest region of Virginia according to David Morrisette of Floyd County's Chateau Morrisette Winery. The 2004 harvest, he says, is shaping up "by far better than last year."

From the northern part of Virginia Jim Law of Linden Vineyards reports nearly perfect weather for harvesting and notes that he's pleased not only with the quantity but also with the quality of what he's seen so far.

Growing conditions vary from year to year and from region to region so it's important to keep the skill of the winemaker in mind when it's all said and done explains Dr. Bruce Zoecklein, Virginia's State Enologist. While the core quality of the wine stems from the fruit, he says, it's the skill of the winemaker that leads to good wine.

"The microclimate regions in Virginia are very unique and not all will have the same levels of precipitation," says Williamsburg Winery's Patrick Duffeler. "That's one of contributing factors to the uniqueness of Virginia wines." His Chardonnay harvest this year, he notes, is the best he's ever seen.

Virginia ranks fifth among Vinifera wine growing states and 10th nationally in commercial grape production. In 2003, producers harvested 3,600 tons of commercial grapes of which Chardonnay represented 34 percent.

The top three grape varieties in Virginia are Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The state's six specifically designated grape growing (viticultural) regions are the Eastern Shore, Monticello, the North Fork of the Roanoke, the Northern Neck (George Washington's Birthplace), Rocky Knob and the Shenandoah Valley.

Now is the perfect time to plan a trip to Virginia's wineries: October is wine month! Visit Virginia's wineries on the web at www.virginiawines.org or call 1-800-VA-VINES (800-828-4637) to request a complimentary guide.

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Editors Please Note: Photos Are Available Upon Request