The harvest appears to be mostly concluded in most of California and the early returns look promising for another good to great vintage. What I found interesting in the reporting I saw today was how uneven the distribution of good fortune was within the state’s appellations. One man’s “bitchin’ vintage” is another’s disaster with some reports of high quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot being unpicked because of poor market conditions (I hope some home winemaker’s got some of that fruit for some garagiste action). A piece in the Sacramento Bee today tells the tale of woe for some grape growers in Lodi. It also underscores the global realities of the wine industry today where government regulations and aggressive pricing from imports can eat into your business almost overnight.