Sadly, with the Japan Earthquake and its devastating tsunami dominating the news wires this week, it seems hardly fair to wax poetic about such trivial things as the enjoyment of wine.  As many in our nation celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy some lighthearted revelry (not to mention the fair bit of imbibing that will accompany many celebrations), one needs only to look across the Pacific for a stern reminder of how fleeting things in life truly are.  My heart goes out to the thousands suffering.  

Natural disasters have been with us since the beginning.  Ask those affected in Japan about their plight and you will hear the human echoes of recent disasters in New Zealand, Haiti, and Chile.  The Chilean reference here is apropos, as it was just over a year ago, on February 27, 2010, that an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the coastal area just north of Concepcion.  The powerful quake and its ensuing tsunami claimed over 700 lives, displaced 1.5 million people and caused an estimated 30 billion dollars in damage.

While it was coastal cities and villages from Concepcion to Valparaiso that experienced the worst of nature’s wrath, the damage was also felt throughout the Central Valley in the heart of Chile’s wine industry.  The wine regions of Maule and Bio-Bio were hit hardest but the stories of overturned tanks, damaged winery buildings, compromised irrigation systems and “oceans of wine” spilled (an estimated 125 million liters of mostly 2009 wine stocks) were commonplace as far north as Rapel and Colchagua where venerable wineries Montes and Casa Lapostolle reported losses.   Power outages and significant disruptions in roadway infrastructure were prevalent too. And all of this occurring as the industry was preparing to harvest its 2010 fruit.

Facing the daunting tasks ahead, the people of the industry did what humanity does in the face of adversity: the community pulled together and ultimately persevered.   After delays due to the logistical hurdles, the 2010 harvest started fitfully in March and progressed into late April and early May in some spots.  Yields were down 20% from 2009 but this apparently had more to do with an early season frost rather than the earthquake.

In the end, many vintners were very optimistic in regards to their finished wines.  It could be an outstanding vintage for the cooler climate grape varieties Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Syrah.   Optimism was also in order for the thicker-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenere.  Reports indicate that those who harvested late produced elegant wines with good color, fresh flavors, ripe tannins and balanced acidity.  The 2010 whites are already starting to arrive here in the US.    

Year 2010 in Chile will always be remembered for the earthquake and the terrible human cost, but perhaps Vintage 2010 will be remembered for something just as vital: the propensity of the human spirit to endure.

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida