Many of the state's coastal wine-growing regions experienced heavy winter rains in January and February followed by an unusually dry spring that was punctuated with a heavy frost, said George Rose, spokesman for Kendall-Jackson Winery in Santa Rosa. A June heat wave came next and then there were lightning storms, setting off brush fires statewide.
Rose said that by August the weather became more predictable, settling into the expected pattern of warm days cooled by moist Pacific Ocean breezes at night.
Kendall-Jackson, one of the state's largest vineyard owners, farms about 12,000 acres in the coastal regions up and down the state. It expects its harvest to be off by about 5%.
Beckstoffer said he was curious to see whether the smoke and ash that settled into many growing regions would affect the grapes by filtering light or causing other changes.
"The strange weather and smoke doesn't mean the wine won't be good," Beckstoffer said, "but we won't know for sure until we get the grapes harvested and in the tank."
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jerry.hirsch@latimes.com
