The Napa Valley harvest 2011 went from "tears to glory!" according to Tim Mondavi, owner of Continuum.

Tim Mondavi summed up the year and winemakers appellation-wide were in agreement, said Napa Valley Vintners.

The rainfall that began in winter continued through spring into mid June, delaying bloom, disrupting fruit set and resulting in shatter in parts of the region, which saw some crops reduced by 30%.

June saw a third above normal rainfall which delayed vine development by several weeks at the onset of the growing season.

It set the stage for a long, cooler-than-average growing season with a later-than-average harvest beset with autumn rain storms.

Harvest for the first varieties for sparkling wines found the latest harvest start in anyone's memory, beginning August 29.

Oakville Ranch Winery general manager, Paula Kornell, said: "What we found in this vintage were flavours that developed at lower brix, giving us an opportunity to make truly elegant wines at lower alcohol levels."

Few high heat events occurred at any point, but growers managed more open vine canopies to ensure sunlight, warmth and good air circulation around the grape clusters.

Full Release here: http://www.napavintners.com/downloads/2011-Napa-Valley-Harvest-Report.pdf.