Better Sierra Wine A Silver Lining In California's Drought

AUBURN (CBS13) — A silver lining of the drought may be in the Sierra foothills, where local vineyards say they're thriving as the drought lingers.

The ongoing drought has provided plenty of stress for the grapes, something they love.

Head winemaker Ryan Taylor's drought-drenched grapes are thriving at Auburn's Mount Vernon Winery.

Stressed out and shining in the sunlight, why is that a good thing?

Stressed grapes provide a more-concentrated, fruit-flavored taste that's multilayered.

"It tastes like fresh-cracked black pepper with a little bit of raspberry in the background," Taylor said.

The Zinfandel grapes would get ugly in a hurry if we got something most of us would welcome—rain.

"The water would get in and would start rotting from the inside out," he said.

So while the wine will be more limited this year, the quality will be better.