A Reflection On The 2024 Vintage
Did you know that wine is one of the only products in the world that can actually be a review of an entire year? It is remarkable to me that tasting a wine, can tell you if the weather that year was full of rain or if the grapes were grown in drought conditions. It’s chemistry.
On the other hand, wines can showcase a person’s mental and emotional state from that vintage. The winemaker sets the level of attention to detail through the yeast they choose, the length of time in a barrel, the type of barrels used, and so on. In 2022, I poured grief into the wines I made that year and it showed. In 2023, I felt like I was coming into my own as a winemaker. Our 2023 vintage was iconic in a lot of ways and most of the wines were standouts.
So, what does all of this tell us about the 2024 vintage? This year, like in 2023, started out strong with minimal rain and another “California-like summer” —destined for greatness. But, for some reason, it was one of the hardest harvests I have ever experienced. The remnants of hurricanes/tropical storms in August, September, and October threatened the quality of some of the red varieties we work with, pushing us to process over 25 tons of grapes in under two weeks at the end of September. For our very small team, it was beyond physically and emotionally exhausting. But, I have to say, through all of that, the wines are beautiful. If I were to use one word to describe this year’s harvest, it would be the word resilient.
Honestly, some of the best wines I’ve ever produced are from this vintage. Our wines from the 2024 vintage are tough and through the chaos of processing, I am already seeing red wines that are showcasing a ton of grit, structure, and intensity. Our white wines are better chemistries than in 2023 with vibrant aromatics and truly unique flavors.
With just two varieties left to press, my mind has already shifted from harvest to the holidays. After all, it is the time of the year that our wines are featured on holiday dinner tables amongst family and friends. It is a huge privilege that our wines have the opportunity to be enjoyed during your gatherings with loved ones. Each bottle of our history is opened to accompany your beautiful moments that turn into cherished memories.