A cool, wet spring led to the latest bud-break we've seen for the past several year and hence later flowering. This means a greater chance of favorable weather and the development of a large crop both in terms of berry quantity and size. This calls for discipline in fruit-thinning. The summer was warm and sunny, accumulating growing degree days and "catching up" the projected harvest to about two weeks behind 2015 and 2016. Underlying the challenges of the 2017 vintage, it was a very sound growing season and harvest.
