Last week marked the end of our 2024 harvest. Exhilarating yet exhausting, the bustle of trucks, sorting machines, and crushers has been replaced by the rich smell of fermenting grapes and the much quieter buzz of winemaking. With all our grapes in, the cautious optimism that had started earlier this fall now feels real, and we can confidently say that we’re looking at one of the best vintages in a long time.

The summer was mild, encouraging slow maturation for excellent phenolic ripeness and sugar-to-acid ratios. A staccato of short heat waves arrived in September, starting with Labor Day, and accelerating harvest. On September 23rd, all the “numbers” fell into perfect alignment. Our red grapes were in the sweet spot of 24-26 Brix with pH’s around 3.6-3.8. When another heat wave hit on September 29th, harvest kicked into full gear. The lights came on and the crew got to work at 4am the next morning.

Our two picking teams, each with eight professionals, worked in coordination through all hours of night and morning. We picked 7-9 tons per day, and delivered it to the crush pad by 6:30am while the grapes were still cool and in excellent condition. It’s always a grueling few weeks, and we are so grateful for our hard working crew.

As the grapes now enter the fermenting tanks, we are truly excited for the potential of the 2024 vintage. Now in the hands of our skilled winemakers, these wines could be magical in a few years. Stay tuned!