Editor's note: This week the Register begins running weekly harvest reports, delivering news reported by winery owners, grapegrowers and others involved in 15 of Napa County's 15 American Viticultural Areas. For growers who'd like to let us know how the harvest is going in your AVA, please e-mail comments to Sasha Paulsen, spaulsen@napanews.com)

Overall, correspondents report the wet weather earlier this spring delayed the growing season, although the July heat wave moved things along in the right direction. Most also are reporting the harvest will begin later than last year.

Elizabeth Vianna, winemaker for Chimney Rock Winery in the Stags Leap District, for example, reported that red wine makers "may have a relaxed Labor Day for the second year in a row."

Mumm Napa began picking its pinot noir grapes Aug. 23, kicking off the 2006 harvest and Calistoga's Schramsberg began its harvest Monday, according to Paul Smith of Onthedge Winery in the Calistoga district.

By AVAs from north to south, the reports are as follows:

* Calistoga -- Paul Smith, owner, Onthedge Winery: "Reports indicate a crop that trends 5 to 10 percent lighter than 2005. We are running one to two weeks behind 'normal.' This activity should trigger the usual flurry of bin movements, tank washings and final equipment testing." Smith also wonders why the Calistoga AVA has not yet been approved.

* Diamond Mountain -- Dawnine Dyer, Dyer Vineyards, said a majority of the vineyards in the district are a full six weeks from harvest. She added, "We did have a little flurry of activity this week when Rudy vonStrasser picked the first gruner veltliner from a small block that he planted two years ago. It will be quite a while before anything more happens, but we'll keep you posted."

* Howell Mountain -- Pat Stotesbery, Ladera Vineyards: "Since the one heat spike, conditions have been near perfect. For most of the mountain, ripening is slightly to very ahead of last year with coloring between 50 percent to nearly complete depending primarily on altitude. The coldest spots in our vineyard, petit verdot, are passing 70 percent (veraison) after being still green less than one week ago."

* St. Helena -- Jennifer Williams, vineyard manager/associate winemaker, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery: "As the sparkling grapes and the occasional white begin to trickle in, we are reminded that August has brought us beautiful post-veraison weather -- the return of those familiar morning clouds that burn off into moderate temperatures. In this favorable climate, the grapes are progressing evenly toward maturity. We expect the first of our sauvignon blanc to be harvested within the week."

* Oakville -- Pat Garvey, from Flora Springs Winery, said his crews are just now finishing fruit thinning. "We are separating clusters and thinning wings and the second crop that is growing in the fruiting zone. At the same time we are applying three to four gallons of water per block, just enough to sustain the vines."

He added, "In discussing the vintage with winemaker Michael Weis at Groth Vineyards and Winery, he believes the fruit looks fantastic. He also thinks harvest will be delayed a week to 10 days." Flora Springs will harvest sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio around Sept. 10.

* Yountville -- Winemaker Mitch Cosentino of Cosentino Winery said all the winegrapes other than sauvignon blanc seem to be two to three weeks late and sauvignon blanc will be harvested in the next week or 10 days. "At this point, anything being crushed in Yountville was not grown in Yountville," he added. "Crop sizes are smaller overall with chardonnay having the smallest yields we've seen in years."

* Stags Leap -- Elizabeth Vianna, winemaker, Chimney Rock Winery: "It looks like the 2006 harvest will have a late start in the district. Maturity sampling of the grapes has not yet begun, and most of us still have vineyard crews doing some green thinning."

* Atlas Peak -- Patrick Elliott-Smith, from Elan Vineyards, said that despite the cold spring, "veraison was pretty much completed by the middle of the month for most varietals. The appellation begins at over 1,000 feet above sea level and therefore has been above the fog line." He adds the July heat wave also helped.

* Mt. Veeder -- Brian Nuss, Vinoce Vineyards: "We have reached about 100 percent verasion in our lower vineyard, which is from 1,200 to 1,500 feet and 95 percent in the upper vineyard, which is at 1,700 to 2,000 feet." He added the crop size is looking average for the vineyard, about two tons per acre. He said the harvest will be mid- to late October.

* Carneros -- Eileen Crane, president and winemaker for Domaine Carneros: "With the harvest just under way for sparkling wine producers, we brought in just a few tons this week of pinot noir. We do not expect to get into full swing until early next week which makes this year one of our very latest harvests. The first block picked of pinot noir was about 10 percent over the expected size." Additionally, she reported, "Flavor is very good."

* Wild Horse Valley -- John Newmeyer, Heron Lake Vineyard, echoed sentiments from the other correspondents -- that the budbreak was "extremely late this year because of the rains, but that the hot July weather helped make up for lost time. He added, "Pinot noir and chardonnay are just now finishing veraison. Harvest, therefore, will be the first week of October at the earliest."