By MATTHEW D. ERNST

Missouri Correspondent

HERMANN, Mo. — Tourists flocking to this historic Missouri River town, a center of the Midwest grape industry, were enjoying beautiful fall weather during Hermann’s month-long Oktoberfest celebration.

That was a contrast to the situation in California wine country, where wildfires in October impacted late-season grape harvest in Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties. California industry experts, however, expect the wildfires will have minor impacts on the state’s grape harvest.

That is because the four counties impacted by wildfires produce less than 12 percent of California grapes for wine, according to the University of California-Davis. “We do not expect a significant economic impact on Northern California’s wine regions due to the fact that only a small percentage of wines may be affected by the fires and smoke,” said Anita Oberholtzer, UC viticulturist.

The longer-term impact for California wineries could be effects on tourism, said Rick Riddle, whose family operates The Winery at Seven Springs Farm, in Maynardville, Tenn. East Tennessee wineries are still recovering from the Smoky Mountain wildfires that last year burned about 10,000 acres near Gatlinburg and greater Sevier County.

“Home to the largest concentration of wineries in the state, sales have been off up to 30 percent and are yet to recover,” said Riddle, in an email to Farm World.

More than 90 percent of grapes were harvested before fires reached vineyards in the four California counties, with mostly late-season Cabernet Sauvignon grapes remaining.

According to the Napa Valley Vintners Assoc., the total impact on harvest volumes is not expected to be any greater than past weather events, like drought or frost. Smoke taint could affect the quality of grapes still on the vine during the wildfires; that can be determined by laboratory testing.

In the affected regions of California wine country, vineyards are more focused on the deep human toll of the unprecedented wildfires. “Obviously, the fires have impacted everyone who lives in Sonoma County in a variety of ways and for our ag workers, the impact was particularly severe,” said Karissa Kruse, executive director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation.

That group has established an emergency assistance fund for ag workers. “Knowing that a home provides a family with stability and comfort, we are committed to getting all of our displaced ag employees into temporary housing as quickly as possible.”

Wineries outside California are unlikely to feel business impacts from the wildfires, explained Riddle. “The impact on pricing and Eastern markets is hard to predict. Few, if any vintners in East Tennessee source from this area” in California.

Midwest harvest

California’s Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are a European vinifera variety, not widely grown in the East. Vineyards in Missouri and nearby states favor American varieties, like Norton, and European-American hybrids, such as Chambourcin and Traminette.

Yields and harvest quality of Midwest grapes are very good this year, according to Bruce Bordelon at Purdue University. “The highlight of the year was the nice, cool temperatures in July-August, which allowed early and mid-season white grapes to ripen perfectly,” he said. Dry weather during that time also helped.

Later-ripening red grapes also finished the season well. “There was concern that we would not have enough heat to ripen the late reds, but the weather changed and we’ve had a nice, warm September-October to finish off the season,” he said. “I think overall this has been one of the best harvest seasons we’ve seen in a long time.”

East Tennessee vineyards, still recovering from wildfire impacts on tourism, saw higher-than-average rainfall. “Higher-than-average moisture conditions, especially during the late season, resulted in increased disease pressure for most growers with vinifera and hybrids,” said Riddle.

American varieties in Tennessee fared much better, with “yields higher, especially with muscadines. Gallons per ton were also higher with muscadines,” he noted. Tennessee wineries are expecting a good harvest. “Growers with disease management plans in place harvested quality grapes, and vintners are looking forward to 2017 vintages.”