The 2006 grape harvest is supposed to be ripe for a good year in Virginia. With the abundance of dry weather this summer, growers were anticipating a sweeter, more robust flavored grape.

But now with Tropical Storm Ernesto aiming north and heading toward the mid-Atlantic states, some Southwest Virginia vintners are no longer so sure.

After gaining strength Thursday and looming off the Carolinas' coast, the storm is expected to churn toward Richmond this evening with renewed vigor, bringing heavy downpours and the possibility of flash flooding across the state.

And a serious soaking may end up souring this year's crops, many vintners worry. Already several vineyards have pushed back their harvest dates, even though many had planned to pluck their grapes earlier than usual this season.

Drema Sylvester, co-owner of White Rock Vineyards & Winery in Goodview, said the season's grapes are looking "really pretty."

"But depending on the date we harvest, it could go the other way if we get a lot of rain and high winds," she said, adding that the vineyard had planned to harvest the grapes Monday, about a week or two ahead of schedule.

Now they may put off the harvest for another week or so, said Sylvester who runs the vineyard with her husband, Fred. The extra time will help the grapes dry out and recover some of their sweetness.

For other vintners, though, there is a danger in waiting.

Too much moisture can cause the grapes to swell and rupture.

"Then you have a rot problem," said Judy Furrow, who owns Hickory Hill Vineyards in Moneta with her husband, Roger. They, too, plan to harvest their grapes early this year, about two weeks ahead of schedule. That will take place Saturday, if the weather permits. "We like to try to get them picked before they are diluted," Furrow said. Moisture also causes grapes' sugar levels to thin out.

Right now, Roger Furrow added, the acid and sugar levels of the grapes are "just perfect."

Ann Heidig, president of the Virginia Wineries Association, said harvesting typically starts earlier in the eastern parts of the state near the coast and later in the more mountainous areas. September and October are the usual harvest times.

Last year, Virginia grape growers gathered 5,600 tons of commercial grapes in 2005, up 51 percent from the previous year, and worth about $7.6 million in crop value, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than 100 wineries and 250 vineyards call Virginia their home.

The tropical storm is expected to dump anywhere from 2 to 5 inches of rain onto the Roanoke Valley by this afternoon, said Robert Stonefield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg.

Thursday, Ernesto was already shaping up to be a "high-end" tropical storm, Stonefield said, with the possibly of becoming a Category 1 hurricane with wind speeds starting about 74 mph. He said the storm is expected to arrive just west of Richmond about 6 p.m. tonight en route to Pennsylvania.

In the Roanoke Valley, it could mean rain and gusts of winds between 25 and 30 mph, he said.

Heidig, who runs Lake Ann Winery in Spotsylvania County, said crop yields may be down this year but she's confident that the majority of the grapes will weather the storm.

"I think the year has been so good that one rain event won't be that hard on them," she said.