In 2021, extremely high June temperatures were measured in Washington State, above 48 degrees C. The rest of the summer continued to be very hot, and 2021 is considered one of the warmest on record. How did the vines manage this heat? Better than one might have guessed.
During the cooler period of September and October, the vines could recover, and the producers could harvest very concentrated and flavourful grapes. But the volume was small. Because of the heat and drought, the grapes decreased in size. Some grape varieties, such as syrah and sauvignon blanc (!), withstood the heat better than others.
Washington harvested 179,600 tons of grapes in 2021.
Six grapes accounted for 85% of the harvest: cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, riesling, merlot, syrah and sauvignon blanc. In terms of price, the most profitable grape to sell was mourvèdre. For one kilo of this grape, the grower was paid 2.45 USD. The average price for all grapes was 1.46 USD/kg.
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