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18 WINES&VINES September 2015 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS S an Rafael, Calif.—For many winemakers and grape- growers in the western United States and Canada, the 2015 harvest came early, very early. Treveri Cellars kicked off har- vest 2015 for Washington state on Aug. 7, crushing 18 tons of Char- donnay for sparkling wine—the earliest harvest ever in the state. The grapes were brought in from Hilltop vineyard in the Rattle- snake Hills AVA, a subappellation of the 25-year-old Yakima Valley AVA. Chardonnay is the second- most planted grape in the state after Riesling, with 43,800 tons harvested in 2014. "The sugar level was right where we wanted it, so we de- cided to haul them," Katie Grieb, senior vice president of marketing for Treveri, told Wines & Vines. Chateau Ste. Michelle sched- uled its first pick for Aug. 12 in the Upland Vineyard, also in the Yakima Valley. "We sampled all of the most likely candidates and will (probably) add to the sched- ule," Kevin Corliss, director of vineyard operations for Ste. Mi- chelle Wine Estates said. "The start of harvest is going to be spread over several days as vérai- son was also spread out a bit, perhaps due to the heat waves." British Columbia sparkling wine producer Bella Wines har- vested Chardonnay from a vine- yard near Oliver on Aug. 12. Speaking with Wines & Vines be- tween dropping off bins for pick- ers, Bella Wines principal Jay Drysdale said that in 2014 he picked the same site Sept. 3. This year, warm weather has meant sugar levels increased more slowly than the acids have dropped, prompting an early harvest. In Napa County, Calif., the har- vest began before dawn July 22 at Game Farm Vineyard. More than 12 tons of Pinot Noir were picked and transported to Mumm Napa, TOP STORY West Coast Growers Report Earliest Harvest QST offers its clients……. Professionally fabricated stainless tanks 35 years of tank fabrication experience Performance & reliability guarantees Custom designs & modern features Quick & competitive tank project pricing On site tank repairs & modifications Special application tanks of all sizes "In stock tanks" from 500 to 10,000 gallons 510 Caletti Ave. Windsor, Ca. 95492 Phone 707-837-2721 or Toll-Free 877-598-0672 www.qualitystainless.com Company Website winetanks@aol.com email contact/sales info Custom Fabricated Tanks for the perfect size & fit… or Ready to Ship "Stock Tanks" Either way QST is ready to assist our clients! Call QST today for information or pricing! QUALITY STAINLESS TANKS Treveri Cellars of Wapato, Wash., unloads 18 tons of Chardonnay for sparkling wine Aug. 7, the earliest harvest ever recorded in Washington state.