Eugene wineries, ready to harvest, are being reminded that Oregon is back from summer vacation – and so is the rain.
“No one in their right mind is harvesting right now. We’re praying to god for some more sunshine!” said Sundance Wine Cellars General Manager Boris Wiedenfeld.
While the summer months brought plenty of sunshine for the grapes to ripen rapidly, an abrupt change in weather has kept the grapes from maturing to their full potential. But if winemakers wait around for too long, the rain will began producing rot.
The white wines, such as the acidic and tangy Riesling, are the first to be harvested. But Oregon’s most prized wine is the pinot noir, or “black pine” in French, named for the clustering shape of the grapes. Most of the states good red wines are Pinot noirs, as Oregon is one of the best places in the world to produce it.
But the Pinot noir is also one of the most difficult grapes to make good wine with because it is so sensitive to its environment. Pinot noir buds earlier than other wines, giving it a longer ripening period. Consequently, the wine demands a colder climate too keep from over ripening, but also need to stay relatively dry.
With the grapes almost ready, they have grown large and are densely packed, making it harder for the tight bunches to dry out. The grapes also have more sugars for the rot to feed on.
For now, winemakers are holding their fingers crossed until the grapes finish reddening.