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62 WINES&VINES January 2018 VINTAGE 2017 yards try to reduce mealybug populations to slow the spread of grape leafroll virus both within and between vineyards. Grape demand is good with very little uncommitted fruit by harvest. NAPA COUNTY Monica Cooper Farm advisor University of California Cooperative Extension Vine growth was healthy following the wettest winter in 30 years and the third-wettest winter in 100 years. We experienced normal to cool conditions in the spring, aside from heat spikes in early May and mid-June, and a hail storm in June that caused isolated damage. An extended heat wave beginning near the end of August and ex- tending into early September made for some hectic harvest conditions and was quite damaging to select cultivars. Cooler conditions follow- ing the heat wave decelerated the pace of harvest. It appeared we would be coasting to the end until the Diablo wind storm ignited dam- aging wildfires the night of Oct. 8. This vintage was bookended by extreme weather events: a histori- cally wet winter and damaging Oc- tober wildfires. In the winter, we were tuned to weather alerts of flooding; in October, road closures, evacuation orders, the uncertainty of property damage and the tragic loss of life took priority. Vine mealybug and olive fruit fly pest pressure was lower than in recent years, likely a result of wet, cool conditions in winter and spring, compared with warm, dry conditions during the drought. Vi- sual symptoms (on leaves) of lea- froll and red blotch diseases were muted and less obvious than ex- pected. Pierce's disease continues to be common, although at lower incidence than recent years. SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY Lodi, River Junction and Tracy Hills Paul Verdegaal Farm advisor University of California Cooperative Extension Yields were on the light side of av- erage. Fruit quality was good, with total acids and pH levels good for the warm season. Harvest began about on average, then pace was moderate and mixed with mid-sea- son varieties; late varieties slowed and finished on average. There was a worse-than-average amount of sour rot or summer bunch rot (see related story on page 122). A 0.2-inch rain in mid-October did not stall harvest as in the previous year. Some picking was delayed by winery scheduling. Harvest fin- ished about on time compared to long-term averages (around Nov. 1 for most operations). Winter of 2017 was the wettest in 20 years, about 180% of average rainfall. Vineyard flooding occurred Were your estate vineyards, or the vineyards you buy grapes from, affected by wildfires? FIRES CALIFORNIA No Yes