Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | NOVEMBER 05, 2019 

Two thousand seventeen in the Santa Lucia Highlands and greater Monterey County was a year that enjoyed plenty of winter and spring rain. That came in handy during the predictably dry but cool summer and a major heat wave that hit all of California over Labor Day weekend. Flowering took place on schedule, mostly in the second week of March, and the infant fruit emerged in the middle of May, also on schedule. Fruit set was abundant thanks to the healthy supply of ground water and resulting vine vigor, so conscientious growers – which in this region means pretty much everybody – put an increased priority on crop-thinning.

A view of Santa Lucia Highlands as seen from the bottom of the Pisoni family's property

Temperatures throughout the spring and summer were relatively cool, especially at night, as is the norm here. The usual morning fog helped to keep growing on schedule – so, again, things went pretty much by the book. However, the aforementioned early September heat wave, which saw temperatures soar to over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, pushed the harvest up in most spots, forcing the hand of a number of growers when it came to picking decisions, and also necessitating irrigation in some vineyards with the aim of preserving freshness in the fruit. Wise canopy management was also a plus, to protect the soon-to-be-picked fruit from the heat by staving off potential raisining. Many producers reported that they were harvesting a week ahead of their normal schedule, and that held true through the end of harvest, which mostly concluded for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir by the first week of October, under clement conditions.