Harvest time in Sonoma County

       Look out for trucks on 101, 116, 128, Highway 12, and all their connectors- the grapes are coming, the grapes are coming!  It's harvest time in the wine country.  With the first significant rain coming in on Monday, growers are scrambling to get their crop off the vine and into the crusher(s).  Heavily laden tractor trailers are everywhere, loaded with full bins of purple grapes.  Wine on wheels?  Exhausted workers are viewing the results of a years' worth of pruning, spraying, training, netting, plowing, de-leafing, trellising, fertilizing, testing and measuring brix, worrying about frost.  Soon the liquid results will be headed to the barrels for fermentation and aging and blending, according to the winemakers design.
      Sonoma county-home to one of the world's great wine making regions.  This vintage, 2012, could be the year of the negocient- that European import that seems to be popping up all over.  The negocient is the wine maker who owns no vineyards.  He buys from sources that provide the grape with the terroir that suits his "style' of wine design.  One of the more notable negocients is Christina Pallman of Santa Rosa.  With her extensive European training, she has developed her own style of wine design, using Sonoma County's vast variety to craft significant wines.  Another successful is Steven Vincent.
      Steve hailed from San Rafael where he was a wine salesman for many years.  He parlayed his knowledge of the industry into a successful business, marketing very drinkable product at $10/price points.  He has had his label added to Whole Food's shelves just to name one.  He's also at Andy's Local market in San Rafael.   Others are involved in this segment of the trade, and are known for buying boutique labels and consolidating product for their customers, both locally and nationally.  It could be a significant trend.
       Word on the 2012 vintage is spotty, but predictions include great potential because of below average rainfall throughout the state during winter 2011/2012.  With vines stressed because of the low moisture, flavors and sugars should be intense.  Time will tell.
Again, watch for trucks when driving to a tasting this weekend.