Out my way, in the Los Alamos Valley, we are starting to hear the sound of cannon fire and the occasional whistle-that kind of piercing, high pitched sound associated with pinwheel fireworks we heard back on the Fourth of July when we were young. These sound effects mean two things. Grape-loving birds are in the area. And these ripening grape clusters will be the tasty entrees for the birds, unless these sound effects don't do what they are supposed to do.
Many vineyards use netting.
Deer and raccoons are also problems. They like wine grapes too. Several weeks ago I was the guest of the Wine and Food Society of the Santa Maria Valley. These prognostications might be good or bad. I know that many winemakers thought the 1997 vintage was quite marginal because of just the sheer magnitude of the crop.