2025 Harvest Review

Published February 10, 2026
Written by Joel

 

Every year in late fall, folks ask me, ‘How was the harvest?’ And every time, I run through a mental checklist: Is this person just asking out of politeness? Is this a proactive wine afficionado who is formulating their wine budget for three years from now? Is this a reporter who is going to quote me and get me in trouble if I say something edgy? I usually assume the latter (even though it never happens) and offer something safe. This past fall my answer was, ‘Every winemaker I have talked with has been very excited about the high quality of 2025 wines.’ And this is the truth. Because what we have in barrels from 2025 could be known as a ‘best-in-a-decade’ vintage. But I am also lying. Because we were only able to make a small amount of wine in 2025. The one word that actually describes our harvest is ‘heartbreaking’.

 

Overconfidence

For the last couple of years, we have been using a higher vineyard trellis design to reduce labor and chemical inputs, without reducing wine quality. During the 2023 and 2024 growing seasons, I was able to cut back our tractor fungicide sprays to two applications – much less than the industry norm of about ten. So in June, when our tractor was out of commission while we waited for parts from Italy, Laurie asked ‘Shouldn’t we be worried about mildew? Shouldn’t we ask somebody for help?’ my answer was ‘no, I think the vineyard will be fine.’  But the mild 2025 summer, which created the beautiful 2025 vintage, lacked the heat spells which, in retrospect, helped protect the vines from powdery mildew in 2023 and 2024. Ninety percent of the vineyard in 2025 came down with a light case of crop-tainting mildew. We harvested only ten percent of the crop. Later, after the leaves turned golden and fell, those un-picked grapes slowly shriveled to black mummies which, even now, hang hauntingly – mockingly – from the vines for all to see. Only pruning will make them disappear from my sight.

 

Looking Ahead

Though harvest was heartbreaking, our hearts are warmed by the outlook of 2026. Our daughter, Erin, along with son-in-law, Tyler, have increased their involvement in the family business and have been helping with winemaking, and now winter pruning. And what do you know, pruning is way ahead of schedule! Their help has been invaluable. And our five precious barrels of 2025 Pinot Noir are getting extra special attention. The future is looking bright.

 

Joel, grandson Daniel, Erin, Laurie, granddaughter McKenzie

 

Joel and Tyler assembling and cleaning the grape destemmer

 

Checking sugar levels, then picking the best clusters, while Daniel picks the best grapes

 

Second annual Rosé Pick. Thanks to our fantastic 2025 crews!

 

 

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