Dave McIntyre blogged a few weeks about the effect of the rain on the vintage. Lenn Thompson and Evan Dawson of New York Cork Report blog about the harvest faced by New York state wineries. (These are excellent wine writers, by the way; if don’t already, I recommend following them for their excellent coverage of local wine.) I’ve seen numerous other thoughts on the 2011 harvest via Twitter, from wine writers, winemakers, and wine enthusiasts alike.

But it turns out this isn’t just the case on the East Coast. This month’s Wine Spectator opens with “Harvest 2011 Begins as a Nailbiter” on page 13. Writers Mitch Frank and Augustus Ward discuss 2011′s effects on Europe and our West Coast, not even getting to the weather’s effect on other states or other regions around the world. (Then again, if you’re not familiar with it, Wine Spectator usually only features Europe, our West Coast, and Australia and New Zealand.) The difference in perspective is interesting, though, and proof that, foreign or domestic, winemakers face very similar challenges regardless of locale.

(Update: Several pages later in Wine Spectator, James Molesworth writes about the place of the loca-pour ideology within the locavore movement; he focuses on the Finger Lakes region of New York State, but makes the point that “It’s time for sommeliers and retailers to take notice and show more support for the support for the efforts of the growers.”)

What are your thoughts on 2011? Are you just going to hunker down with your 2010s and wait for 2012? Or do you think we’re playing a game of Chicken Little?

In addition to my own interview with Sarah O’Herron of Black Ankle Vineyards, several other winemakers were interviewed, quoted, and blogged about by area press leading up to this past weekend’s Festival. Some even blogged themselves!  Almost all of them said something to the tune of “festivals are a lot of work, but it’s fun.”

As volunteers for the Maryland Wine Association and its Premier Tent, we didn’t do much that felt like work. I was handing out the Riedel red wine glasses the MWA provided for the premier ticket holders, and Matt was pouring the lighter white wines. Along the way we talked to long time festival attendees, new Premier Tent guests, winery staff, MWA personnel, and other volunteers. It was a really interesting way to learn about wine and the industry (already two more stories coming together for you, dear reader).

We had upgraded our volunteer passes for the day, so we got to taste the wines ourselves once our shift was done. The red wines definitely showed better in the larger glass, and it certainly didn’t hurt the whites! I was intrigued to taste four chardonnays from four different wineries, as well as several different cabernet sauvignons (a few of which we came home with). I also found quite possibly the only dessert wine I didn’t care for, although the majority were fantastic.

We also had the chance to spend a little bit of time out in the field. While the wines in the tent were certainly worth it (not to mention the food), I looked forward to seeing a little more of each winery’s offerings. We made a point to get to Serpent Ridge, Running Hare, and Bordeleau before the pouring ended at 6. I can highly recommend visits to all three wineries, or at least catching them during a festival. Serpent Ridge is working with some grapes unique to our area, and Running Hare had an extremely good malbec. Bordeleau offers a steel-fermented chardonnay, a French-oak-fermented chardonnay, and an American-oak-fermented chardonnay, all different, so you could really taste how the vessel affected the wine.

All in all, a good time, even despite Saturday’s chilly rain. We came home with Sugarloaf Mountain chardonnay; cabernet sauvignon from DeJon, Elk Run, and Boordy (their Landmark Reserve); the Woodhall Parkton Prestige; and the Running Hare Jack Rabbit Red to mull. Kudos to the MWA for running an extremely well organized and enjoyable festival.

If you missed the festival, most wineries are open this fall during the weekends at the very least. Many wineries are also hosting harvest, crushing, or festival events. The Chesapeake and Piedmont wine trails are holding wine and crush events this weekend. October 1-2 the Riverside Wine Festival takes place at Sotterly Plantation. If you go, please take the opportunity and taste what’s available. As some other wine bloggers have noted recently, if you only taste what you know you’ll like, you may miss out on some really nice wines that are right up your alley. And finding those wines is half the fun.

The whites sound like they’re off to a good start.

White wines from 2008 will be very mineral driven (similar to 2006) with bright acidity, low to moderate alcohols, and botrytis influenced exotic aromas.

The reds… maybe some problems.

Early ripening varieties (Merlot) and sites took the biggest brunt of the September rains. Unfortunately I can taste the rain in these wines. They lack concentration.

You don’t see “rain” come up often enough on many wine reviewer’s tasting sheets.

Link to the full write up over at Anything Wine.

For the future, they’re revamping their website so that they can get the word out there. That website can be found here: http://www.loudounvalleyvineyards.com/.

In California, people are always looking for ways to get into the wine industry. It’s a clique that can be hard to break into from the business side as the ties are tight and usually family-oriented. One answer that always applies, though, is to head up to Napa or Sonoma during September and October’s harvest and volunteer to pick some grapes and pitch in with crush. You’ll meet winemakers and others in the business and learn a great deal through hands on experience. Maryland’s wine industry goes through the same process each fall and some of our local wineries really need the help.

Basignani, located about 30 minutes north of Baltimore, is bringing back “Harvest Saturdays” kicking off this Saturday and following with September 27th. Expect to get started in the vineyards around 9am and work the morning shift to earn your lunch provided by the winery. If you’re not into the labor side, it’s a good time to get up to the winery and see winemaking in action. Pop a bottle of Seyval and watch fall sweep into the Maryland country.

Harvest Saturdays will carry into October. Dates are scheduled for the 4th and the 11th.

If you’re interested in helping out and getting into the vineyards for the day, the Basignani asks that you RSVP confirm availability and that they are in fact picking that day. Sometimes cancellations are necessary because of weather or other events. Contact Lynne over email for more information or to RSVP: lynne@basignani.com.

Check out this article that the Baltimore Sun ran on last year’s harvest at Basignani (free registration required).

Later this week look out for details on Virginia’s harvest.