He should run for federal office.
Oh, wait,…
For the time being they will, but climate change will either kill them or force them to change to grapes that thrive in that kind of heat. Chardonnay certainly won’t nor will Merlot. Cab Sauvignon can survive the heat but the wines may be too alcoholic and way over-the-top to drink.
I wondered how long you could have wildfires and smoke taint on top of drought and a labor/housing shortage.
One natural disaster every few years is a lot, but when it’s something different every year (or the same thing over and over again) it just doesn’t seem sustainable to keep throwing money at it… The insurance companies are just the first indication of many more decisions to be made I think.
Not sure where you live, Josh, but Napa (and most of California) would not expect to get much rain after May, not until October on average. Rain in the summer months is highly unusual, outside of the high Sierra mountains, most often the result of tropical moisture reaching unusually far north from the southwest, or a stray tropical eastern pacific storm (which is what caused the mostly dry lightning strikes in 2020 that started most of the massive fires). 2021 is, however, definitely in the record books for lack of precipitation up and down the state.
Yup. A normal year for us is bone dry between April and October. The kids get used to leaving all kinds of things that can get wet outside for half the year. I hardly ever fully close my car sunroof & windows too.
When we get a (rare) sprinkle there is the frantic rush to go outside and put everything away, close windows etc.
Cabernet does not need to be “way too alcoholic and way over-the-top to drink.” It takes someone constantly watching, listening, and tasting in the vineyard to make the call to pick to avoid that. It ain’t that hard.
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In total agreement.
How could Bruce be so foolish to assume otherwise?
It probably isn’t that hard when you have an acre .
I would love to see the field blend Bedrock strategy make it into Napa. those wines could be so interesting.
We have a one year strategy. Probably most wineries up here have a similar one based on their circumstances. We paid every grower we received fruit from last year. We will produce 10% of normal PN production. We kept full staffing all year.
If 2021 repeats 2020 I will literally have no answers. Can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip.
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And if you owned an acre, you could try out your assumption. I’m getting tired of your attacks, though often veiled, Mr. Klein.
There is no attack . I don’t need to own a vineyard to know it is easier to determine when to pick 1 acre devoted to 1 variety (albeit different clones) and accomplish that goal , than it is to determine when to pick dozens or hundreds of acres of multi varieties and accomplish that goal.
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Where? How?
Otherwise, would an unsubstantiated allegation of attack be itself a de novo substantiated attack?
Or maybe a response is itself a veiled attack.
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I sure hope it isn’t a repeat of last year, but I wouldn’t bet against it.
Stepped out of my house here in Portland last night, and immediately picked up a whiff of smoke.
Southern Oregon is just so dry, not seeing how they are going to get the fire controlled without some unlikely help from the weather.
Red moon above Noo Yawk tonight. No bueno. Hmai ho (no good).
Thank you Jim for doing the right stuff even under such circumstances.
As to the bigger picture in this thread, it was only a matter of time before insurance companies decided they were done footing the bill for the consequences of climate change. I honestly thought their lobbyists would have been pushing for action on climate change a long time ago, but I don’t think that ever happened.
Unfortunately, there’s no incentive for insurance companies to do so. It’s just easier to discontinue coverage for someone and let them deal with the consequences.
Just getting winery insurance is a nightmare. Took me better part of 6 months to get it done and I’m not even in the risk zone or a grower!