With the 2011 harvest in full swing it looks like the crop will be a little smaller than usual. In the spring, northern California saw some freezes and rains and then a larger than normal amount of rain in the summer months. This will certainly affect the quantity of wine in some areas, but on the bright side we will likely see some very good quality coming out of California in 2011.

So between the cooler-than-normal beginning of the vintage and some of the unexpected rains, harvest will run a little later than usual, hopefully, though, not as late as 2010. As the harvest gets pushed back further and further the risk of violent rainfalls can really jeopardize the grapes. Like most all agricultural endeavors there are going to be risks and the wrong weather at a critical time can cause many problems. Having said all that, we will just have to wait and hope that the rest of the year brings some welcome, grape-ripening sunshine.

And while we wait and see, we might as well be drinking some nice wines. Here are a couple of wines that I think are good to enjoy as Autumn creeps up on us. The first is a wine from Randy Shannon, a red blend from Lake County called Wrangler Red. It is comprised of, get this, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Tempranillo and Mourvedre. It's a crazy blend that melds beautifully together, with good ripe fruit, a little spice, and a nice medium finish. Terrific by itself, but very tasty with grilled or roasted meats…or burgers and wings watching the football game--and at around $12.00 a bottle, more is better! Another $12.00 wine to try is the Muirwood Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco in the Central Coast. The best word to use in describing this Chard is "balanced."  It has a nice complement of oak, spice, fruit and butter tones that finish beautifully. Chicken in a buttery sauce, pasta with fresh vegetables in a cream sauce would both be wonderful with this wine.

Ken Amendola

Wine Supervisor, N. Florida