While a wet spring and heavy May rains delivered more than twice the normal amount of rainfall in Napa Valley, springtime weather in the Carneros region was more normal with just a little more precipitation than average. The late storms of 2005 caused the delay of budbreak and bloom for all varieties, but once they began, the vines grew quickly with plenty of moisture in the ground. Vineyard crews carefully reduced both foliage and fruit clusters, making several passes through the fields to bring the vines into balance and ensure ripening as the growing season progressed.
Overall, the 2005 growing season was significantly cooler than usual. In Carneros, temperatures were moderate except for a warmer period in July. The region’s famous fog lingered over the vineyards until late morning most days in August and September. Because of the delayed spring and cool late-season temperatures that extended through harvest, picking didn’t begin for Chardonnay until mid-September—several weeks later than most years—and didn’t finish until the last days of October. The long hang time allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, fostering excellent development of aromatics and flavors and setting a relatively easy pace for the vineyard and winemaking teams.
