Rob Harris directs vineyard operations at Price Family Vineyards, which just happens to farm some of Sonoma Valley’s most sought after sites. Growing in Gap’s Crown and Durell Vineyards for Three Sticks Wines means Rob grows grapes on preeminent property for rock star winemakers like Don Van Staaveren and Bob Cabral. Who better to ask about the 2015 harvest?
ON THE 2015 GROWING SEASON:
“Early as it was, there was a relative lack of any significant weather events for much of the growing season. No special pest or disease issues of note, so conditions were close to ideal for fruit quality. And while we did see some lack of uniformity in development and maturation, careful sampling and reliance on experience and feel have led most winemakers to make solid, if not perfectly confident, picking decisions.”
ON THE 2015 HARVEST:
“Three words. Early, fast, and furious. At both Gap’s Crown and Durell Vineyards harvest began in the third week of August. This roughly represents a week earlier than last year, and 2-3 weeks earlier than ‘normal.’ The vast majority of our harvest lasted almost exactly one calendar month, with almost all harvesting being completed in just four short weeks. This, too, is an accelerated schedule compared to most vintages. Coming off of big crop years in 2013 and 2014, yields were bound to shrink. But erratic weather influences at key growing stages like bloom and fruit set drove crop loads even lower than anticipated.”
ON THE WINES OF 2015:
“What this vintage has lacked in quantity, its potential for quality may more than make up for. Wineries like Three Sticks who source from Durell and Gap’s Crown are excited about the good condition and chemistry of the fruit they received. 2015 should be a very distinctive vintage that speaks to the diverse range of variables in Sonoma Valley.”
Get a beautiful, in-depth look at the vineyards here: www.threestickswines.com/the-vineyards
