North Bay Wine Makers Rush to Get Crops In

The first autumn rains hit the Bay Area Monday, leaving some North Bay winemakers scrambling to get their grapes in as the first drops fell.

Under a sky thick with dark clouds, winemaker James Hall of Patz & Hall wine company in Sonoma, is all smiles.

“With this pinot noir vineyard,” Hall said. “I am essentially in the barn, so hallelujah.”

Hall stands in front of stacks of white plastic crates brimming with silvery blue grapes. The grape clusters spill onto a sorting table, then through a de-stemmer. Hall said he got this final batch in at 4 a.m., which means his workers picked through Sunday night.

“They’re heroes,” Hall said.

The rains are the latest twist for a vintage that's already smaller and later than usual because of this year’s cool summer.

“It’s more work for fewer grapes," Hall said. "That seems to be the theme for 2011.”

Hall said he’s thrilled, though, by the grape quality. And to celebrate getting all his pinot and chardonnay grapes in with just hours to spare, Hall said he'll be popping champagne.

“I’m not certain exactly what, but I know it’s going to be vintage, and it’s going to be expensive.”