Grape Damage Minimal: Walter Raymond, wine maker...

Grape Damage Minimal: Walter Raymond, wine maker for Napa Valley’s Raymond Vineyard & Cellar, said grape picking is again in full swing and damage appears to be minimal after brief but intense rain hit the premium-wine-producing region just as harvest of choice Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes was getting under way. Raymond said grape quality in the vineyards serving his family’s winery, which this year became 85% owned by Japan’s Kirin Brewery, appears to be about normal. First assessments suggested that crop damage could be substantial.