Wine industry sees 2005 as vintage year

[DM]

quote:SAN FRANCISCO — A warm Indian summer pushed the 2005 California winegrape harvest to near-record levels this year, and the bounty of top-quality fruit is expected to make for some outstanding wines, the Wine Institute representing California wineries revealed Thursday.
Consumers will find many excellent choices in a wide range of prices on retail shelves beginning with the early release of white wines in February/March and most of the reds in 2007.

The estimated harvest of 3.15 million tons of wine grapes in October would make it the second-largest crop ever for California behind the record 3.32 million tons harvested in 2000. Wine is one of the top five agricultural products in the state, generating annual sales of $15 billion and 200,000 jobs.

"The state's market is strong and continues to grow," said Eric Wente, chairman of the Wine Institute and principal at Wente Family Estates in Livermore. "This will be one of the two or three best harvests of the decade."

The cool weather through much of the summer, larger crop size and lateness of harvest had many winemakers anxious for months about getting the crop into the wineries before  

the winter rains.
The vintners dodged a bullet when no heavy rains came. The Indian summer kicked in in mid-September, lengthening the growing season and helping develop mature grapes with plenty of flavor.

"The fruit looks wonderful, and local wineries are going to produce some exceptional wine," said Earl R. Ault, owner/winemaker at Cedar Mountain Winery in Livermore.

Sugar levels of the wine came in slightly lower than in past vintages, because of the cooler growing season, and the 2005 wines are expected to be a fraction lower in alcohol content. About 99 percent of this year's wine grapes statewide have been picked.

The larger harvest is needed, Wine Institute officials said.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/businessnews/ci_3205200

Anyone know what the stats for Oklahoma wine production is?