2003 was a challenging year for all eastern vineyards, with a cool and wet Spring, a warm, cloudy and wet Summer, and a cool and wet Fall. Yes, the main feature of this year's weather was "wet." Still, we managed to ripen a small crop of grapes on our Locust Hill property. The harvest analysis is shown below.
| Variety | Total Harvest | Brix | pH | T.A. | Picking Date |
| Pinot Noir | 25 lb. | 18 | 3.3 | 1.15 | 9/19/03 |
| Pinot Gris | 20 lb | 19 | 10/4/03 | ||
| Chardonnay | 75 lb | 18.5 | 3.35 | 0.93 | 9/27/03 |
| Chardonnay | 20 lb | 20.5 | 3.31 | 1.00 | 10/20/03 |
| Traminette | 200 lb | 20 | 3.05 | 0.96 | 10/4/03 |
| Vidal Blanc | 300 lb | 20 | 3.31 | 0.72 | 11/10/03 |
| Sauvignon Blanc | 40 lb | 21 | 10/4/03 | ||
| Viognier | 30 lb | 20 | 10/4/03 | ||
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 180 lb | 20 | 3.38 | 1.14 | 10/19/03 |
| Cabernet Franc | 200 lb | 20 | 3.32 | 1.00 | 10/20/03 |
| Merlot | 0 | ||||
| Chambourcin | 320 lb | 20 | 3.26 | 1.10 | 10/20/03 |
| Petit Verdot | 0 | 22 | 3.12 | 1.15 | 10/20/03 |
| Sangiovese | 0 | 20 | 3.31 | 1.00 | 10/20/03 |
| Moscato Giallo | 0 |
One interesting note is that we let the Vidal Blanc hang until November 10th. The extra time allowed the sugar come up to 20 Brix, the pH stayed around 3.3, but the acid came way down to .72. That's a significant drop in acid, and gives us some incentive to let some other crops hang a bit longer if necessary next year.
As it was, we were harvesting a full month later than last year in most varieties, and getting lower sugar levels even so. We all will hope for a better season next year - the farmer's perennial wish.