Grape growers around Sonoma County rose at the crack of dawn Thursday for a much-anticipated harvest.
After the pandemic and wildfires of the past year, many North Bay winemakers are hoping to bounce back with this year’s harvest.
At Sebastopol’s Dutton Ranch, more than 100 workers started picking at 6 a.m., but during the remaining eight-week harvest they’ll start even earlier, at 2 a.m.
"We’ve been working at this for the last eight months getting this fruit ready to harvest, and today was the first day to do that," said Dutton Ranch co-owner Steve Dutton. This is his 35th harvest.
Grapes are best picked at cooler temperatures, hence the early morning start. They’ll end up crushed and in a tank before sundown.
It’s been a difficult year for Sonoma County growers. Wildfires knocked the county’s grape values down by about half last year, to $330 million.
This year they have the drought to contend with, but luckily Dutton said grapes need minimal water, with some vineyards receiving little to no irrigation.
"Most people think grapes take a lot of water because they’re green, but they don’t," said Dutton. "Especially out here in Sonoma County."
For the most part, they’ll hang on this year just fine. But if the drought continues at this rate next year, that might change, said Dutton. "If we have that for a second year in a row, I might not be as optimistic as I am today."
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