PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The harvest is getting under way in Oregon vineyards, where many farmers have been preparing for what a Willamette Valley manager expects to be “a nail-biter.”
A cool growing season could push the harvest late, exposing grapes to fall rains. But growers say cool weather is part of what makes Oregon a world-class wine region, especially for pinot noir.
Growers in the Willamette Valley tell The Oregonian (http://bit.ly/p3zgBr) say they’ve taken precautions, such as thinning grapes harder to focus the energy of the vines and promote ripening.