WTN: Bien

[David M. Bueker]

• 2020 Bedrock Wine Co. Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (9/6/2025)
  Pretty, bright, and fresh, the fruit went almost tropical, but the overall feel was still dry and crisp. Refreshing wine.

[Jenise]

Almost off-topic: I'm having trouble keeping up with which years were fire years where. '20 was bad in WA, I think--the year Betz didn't make any wine at all I think, but okay in California though maybe only allright in Sonoma but not in Napa. Or was that '21? And what about Oregon? '21 was horrible in B.C., however, I'm sure of that, because I tasted horribly smoke-tainted wines two months ago at a winery I thought above so doing. I'm leery when I see those years. There have been so many bad fire years it's hard to keep track.

[Jenise]

Okay, just checked notes on CT. As I thought '20 was the year Betz didn't make wine, and I noted smoke taint in a number of Oregon wines. '21 was very poor in B.C. The worst year in California would be the year Signorello burned down which was...?

[Jenise]

Found it. 2017, but October. About 2020, Lisa P-B said: "I have tasted smoke tainted 2020 wines from sites in California north of San Luis Obispo, including the major areas of Paso Robles, Sonoma, and Napa Valley."

2025 is going to be bad for California and Oregon. Washington will most likely be spared, except for the Lake Chelan AVA.

[David M. Bueker]

How are you already calling 2025 bad for California? There’s the fire around Howell Mt. and Pope Valley, but the effects are pretty localized.

And 2020 was the bad year for Northern CA for wines picked after about September 15. Lots picked sooner, though people are very good at imagining smoke taint that can’t actually be present. 2017 was bad as well but not nearly as bad as 2020. And of course Santa Barbara and that area were spared both years.

[Jenise]

You're right, of course, not all of California will be affected by the Pickett Fire but anything that hurts Napa hurts the industry as a whole.

[David M. Bueker]

It’s terrible that people use Napa as a shorthand for California.

[Jenise]

I agree with that, especially where vintage generalizations are concerned. It was my mistake to use it here.