Unless you’ve been living under a rock on the East Coast, you probably know that California has been in a severe drought, beginning last year. The lack of rainfall, snowfall, and subsequent snowmelt has caused an array of issues for the California agriculture industry. From fruits to nuts to grapes, the repercussions have been significant. With no real end in sight, California has put in place severe measures, with even stricter legislation coming.
But things aren’t all bad. Like all plants, grape vines need water, but they don’t need as much as winemakers often give them. In fact, a certain level of stress on the vines is a good thing. Years ago, Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci drastically reduced watering, cutting the amount of water given by as much as 80 percent in some blocks. That move couldn’t have come at a better time, because water rights in Napa are now a serious topic.
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St. Louisan Cal Nicholson, owner of Nicholson Jones in Napa Valley, plants ground cover to force his vines to “deep-root,” limiting the need for irrigation. “Stressed vines tend to produce limited—but more concentrated—fruit,” he says, “resulting in higher-quality wines.”
Certified wine educator Mike Ward of Ward on Wine agrees less water can be a good thing, but also notes that it takes time to establish the vines. “California’s smaller-production vineyards see irrigation for the first three years and are generally ‘dry-farmed’ once established,” he says. “Mature vines are very good at tapping existing groundwater.”
Lower-priced wines likely will take the biggest hit from the drought. They’re often mass-produced and drenched in water to provide the biggest possible crop. Though the drought does have unpleasant effects, it can separate quality wine from the run-of-the-mill.
