The recent January 2023 rains in California created floods, landslides, and chaos for many, but grape growers up and down the state are happy for more. A year of drought can result in yummy concentrated flavors in wine grapes, leading to intensely flavored wines. But too many years of drought dries up the water table, stresses, and even kills vines.
After 3 years of drought, these rains are filling lakes and reservoirs, refilling groundwater in the vineyards, giving the vines a good healthy drink, and leaching salts from the dry soils. While they got a year’s worth of rain in one month, growers want more rain: continued rains will also help delay bud break, or grape flower formation until later in the spring. The later the bud break, the less risk of spring frost damage to newly forming grapes. Watch for 2023 vintage wines to see how they taste in the coming years!
