Oregon Wine Grape Harvest

Oregon is poised to have a very good good wine grape crop this year but at present the words "Record Crop" are being kept under warps according to Michelle Kaufman, Communications Manager for Oregon Wine.

KAUFMAN: We won't know for sure until everything is in and we don't want to jinx it but everything is pointing to 2014 is going to be an awesome vintage. I think that the best stat to back this up is there is a climatologist down in southern Oregon who noted that this year we have had record temperatures. But, the more interesting thing is that these are record overnight temperatures and not daytime temperatures.

Kaufman explains why that is so important to wine grapes.

KAUFMAN: It accelerates the ripening process, it takes away any stress on the vine and it really allows the grapes to get those flavors in harmony and balance. And interestingly enough because they're been accelerated in ripening, everything is about 2 weeks early even in some of the higher elevation sites.

That's been the case for most crops this year. Kaufman says the whole wine industry is really excited about this years grapes.

KAUFMAN: One of our wineries said that he thought that this could be the best vintage they've ever produced and that was from a very high-end winery. Most of the Oregon winemakers will tell you that a vintage is made in the vineyard, not in the winery. Mean that getting those grapes to ripen and finding the perfect spot to do so is really where all great winemaking happens.

That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.